Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Image: Getty Images

Nicknamed La Divina (“The Divine One ”) for her considerable musical and theatrical talent, Maria Callas was a US-born Greek opera singer who has become regarded as one of the most influential opera singers of the 20th century. Born in Manhattan, New York City, in 1924 to two ill- matched Greek immigrant parents, Callas began her singing career at the age of 13 when she moved back to Greece to study at the Athens Conservatoire. A deligent student, Calla is credited with the revival of bel canto (“beautiful singing”), an Italian tradition of the early 19th century that requires an ncredibly agile voice.

Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Image: Supplied

Under the careful tutelage of conductor Tullio Serafin, Callas soon performed in all the world’s major opera houses. Despite a life of hardship, loss, and media scrutiny, she was known not only for her powerful and versatile soprano voice but also for her high artistic standards and unapologetic resilience. Now, almost 47 years afte her death, Callas continues to inspire and astonish as a style icon and the ultimate diva — most recently, in the biopic Maria, starring Angelina Jolie. 

From the 2024 / 25 edition of Wanted Watches, Jewellery and Luxury.

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