Georges Grandpierre, who decorated Maria’s home in Avenue Georges Mandel, described in detail each room in the apartment. Marie-Hélène Rothschild’s taped conversations with John van Eyssen, as well as my talks with Gaby van Zuylen and François Valéry, enriched my account of Maria’s life in Paris at the time. The quotations about Maria’s feelings for Bruna came from her taped conversations with John Ardoin.
For the proceedings of the case against Vergottis I have used the court reports in the Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard.
Mary Mead was my main source for the final days of Maria’s relationship with Onassis, and Mary Mead, John Ardoin and John Coveney described in detail the two fugitive months that followed. My account of Maria’s emotional state at the time is based on her letters to her godfather, to John Ardoin and to Anastasia Gratsos, and on the transcripts of her taped talks with John Ardoin. The rest of the direct quotations from Maria in this chapter come from the interviews with Derek Prouse, Claudia Cassidy and David Holmes, as well as from the transcripts of her one-hour interview with Micheline Bauzet for French radio (France Musique, February 8, 9, 10, 1965).
CHAPTER 13
The opening quotation in this chapter comes from the tapes of Maria’s talks with John Ardoin. Her letters to her godfather and to John Ardoin, and Francesco Chiarini’s reminiscences were the keys to Maria’s state of mind at this time. My talks with Franco Rossellini, and especially with Nadia Stancioff, provided the background material on the filming of Medea. Gaby van Zuylen and Nadia Stancioff described Maria’s first meeting with Onassis after his marriage, while Anastasia Gratsos and Peter Diamand were very helpful in establishing the facts behind Edgar Schneider’s assertion that Maria had attempted suicide.
For my account of the months before and during the Juilliard master classes, I have drawn on my talks with Anastasia Gratsos, Tito Gobbi and Dr. Lantzounis, as well as on John van Eyssen’s taped interviews with Peter Mennin and Alberta Masiello. Also, I spoke often with John Ardoin, who has written the definitive, as yet unpublished, book on the master classes. Among the many articles written on the Juilliard master classes, the ones I found most helpful were: Alan Blyth’s “The Untransferable Callas Magic” (The Times, November 16, 1971), Francis Rizzo’s “The Callas Class” (Opera News, April 15, 1972) and Richard Roud’s report in the Guardian (April 8, 1972).
The remainder of this chapter is based on my talks with Michael Cacoyannis, François Valéry, Robert Sutherland, Ivor Newton, Sander Gorlinsky, Alex Gregory, Mary Mead, John Tooley, Peter Diamand and Vasso Devetzi. For my account of Maria’s outburst at the end of her Carnegie Hall concert, I have relied on Dorle Soria’s article in High Fidelity/Musical America (January 1978) and on my talks with Alex Gregory, Mary Mead and various others who were present that night. For the details of George Moore’s offer to Maria of the position of artistic director at the Met, I have drawn on Schuyler Chapin’s memoirs, Musical Chairs, A Life in the Arts (New York: Putnam, 1977).
Maria’s letters to her godfather were, once again, invaluable. I have relied on them not only for direct quotations but, most importantly, to portray Maria’s turmoil during these years. Other quotations from Maria in this chapter come from her talks with John Ardoin and from the following articles: Jack Buckley’s “An Ancient Woman” (Opera News, December 13, 1969), Angela Cuccio’s “Callas on Callas” (Women’s Wear Daily, November 23, 1970), Judy Klemesrud’s “Maria Callas Speaks Her Mind on Fashions and Friendship” (The New York Times, November 30, 1970) and Mary Blume’s “The Callas Connection” (International Herald Tribune, February 3 and 4, 1979); also from reports in Newsweek (February 15, 1971), the Sunday Telegraph (October 1, 1972) and the Daily News (February 8, 1974), and from Maria’s televised interviews with David Holmes (BBC, November 29, 1973), with Mike Wallace (CBS, February 3, 1974) and with Barbara Walters (NBC, April 15, 1974).
CHAPTER 14
Shortly before Maria’s death her letters to her godfather became even more personal. The letters, as well as my talks with her godfather, are the most important source for the last few years of her life. Extracts from the tapes on which Maria reflected on her life were featured in the Musée Carnavalet exhibition in the spring of 1979. These extracts, as well as her interviews with Mike Wallace and Barbara Walters, provided more direct quotations from Maria. Frederick, her hairdresser, John Tooley, Alan Sievewright, François Valéry, Gaby van Zuylen, Charles Vanne, Vasso Devetzi and Sylvia Sass supplied much detail covering the period just before Maria’s death.
EPILOGUE
The epilogue is based on my talks with Maria’s mother and with Edith Gorlinsky, Peter Diamand, Vasso Devetzi, Xavier Vivanco, John Ardoin, Peter Andry, John Coveney, Peter de Jong, Sander Gorlinsky, Franco Rossellini, Princess Grace and Nadia Stancioff. I have also drawn on the following reports in the Greek press: Ta Nea (October 26, 1977), I Apoyeumatini (October 25, November 7, 1977, May 24 and 26, 1978) and I Vrathini (December 29, 1977).
PICTURE CREDITS
AGIP, Paris: 6
Angel Records: 10, 15
Beth Bergman: 54
Camera Press: 21
Globe Photos: 44, 53
Keystone: 2, 5, 35, 48, 49, 59
Leonidas Lantzoanis: 3, 7, 38, 52
Erio Picagliani: 4, 9, 11–14, 19
Pictorial Parade: 28–31, 33, 36, 45, 47, 55–58
Press Association, London: 39
M. Sayn-Wittgenstein: 42, 43
Paul Seligman: 18, 37
Christian Steiner: 61
Time: 17
Mario Tursi: 50
UPI: 8, 16, 22–24, 26, 27, 32, 34, 46, 51, 60
Wide World: 41
Index
The index that appeared in the print version of this title was intentionally removed from the eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below
Adler, Kurt
Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea)
Agnelli, Umberto
Aida (Verdi)
M as Aida in
M praised by Tebaldi in
Alceste (Gluck)
Alva, Luigi
American Chorus Singers’ Union
American Guild of Musical Artists
American Hospital (Paris)
American Opera Society
Anderson, Jack
Andrea Chénier (Giordano)
Andreotti, Cesare
Andry, Peter
Angel Records, see EMI-Angel Records
Anna Bolena (Donizetti):
M as Anna in
M’s dramatic victory in
Visconti’s production of
Archer, Evelynne
Ardoin, John
Armida (Rossini)
Artists’ Union
Athens Conservatory
Athens Opera:
M rejected by
M’s appointment to
M’s first leading performance at
rivalry at
Auchincloss, Janet
“Ave Maria” (Gounod)
Bachauer, Gina
Bagarozy, Edward Richard (“Eddie”)
in contract as M’s personal agent
M’s break with
M’s talent supported by
M sued by
revival of Chicago Opera House and
Bagarozy, Louise, see Caselotti, Louise
Ballo in Maschera, Un (Verdi)
M as Amelia in
Balmain, Pierre
Barbiere di Siviglia, Il (Rossini)
Barnes, Clive
Barrault, Jean-Louis
Baum, Kurt
Baumel, Jacques
Beaton, Cecil
Beatrice di Tenda (Bellini)
Bechi, Gino
Beggar Student, The (Millöcker)
bel canto
M’s training in
Bellini, Vincenzo
Norma as unique work of
Benny, Jack
>
Benois, Nicola
Berganza, Teresa
Bernhardt, Sarah
Bernstein, Leonard
Biancolli, Louis
Biki, Madame
Bing, Rudolf
M’s reconciliation with
Bischini, Christian
Blandford, marquess of
Blochman, Lawrence
Boccaccio (Suppé)
Bohème, La (Puccini)
Bolker, Joseph
Bourgeois, Jacques
Bovalti, Mario
Boyce, Dr. William
Bristow, Peter
Bruna (M’s housekeeper)
Bruscantini, Sesto
Bumbry, Grace
Caballé, Montserrat
Cacoyannis, Michael
Callas (Kalogeropoulos), Evangelia Dimitriadis (mother)
author’s interview with
bitterness toward M of
book on M by
in disastrous reunion with husband
divorce of
as doll-maker
as “enchanting mother”
in Greece
materialism of
M emotionally rejected by
Meneghini disliked by
with M in Mexico
M’s death and
M’s first defiance of
M’s lifelong resentment of
M’s longing for
M’s marriage and
as M’s scapegoat
M’s settlement with
as M’s “Shadow”
M’s will contested by
M’s withdrawal from
as musically untalented
obsessive ambitions for M of
son’s death and
as strict parent
suicide attempted by
theatrical ambitions of
troubled marriage of
World War II and
Callas (Kalogeropoulos), George (father)
as ambivalent about wife’s move to Greece
Americanization of name
as critically ill
death of
divorce of
at Epidaurus with M
family moved to U.S. by
Meneghini liked by
in Mexico with M
M’s regard for
M’s reunion with
M’s twenty-first birthday and
opera as boring to
as pharmacist
remarriage of
son’s death and
troubled marriage to Evangelia of
as uninterested in M’s career
womanizing of
Callas, Jackie (sister)
engagement of
as favored by mother
Greek Civil War and
M’s childhood relations with
M’s death and
M’s envy of
M’s reunion with
M’s withdrawal from
in physical comparison with
World War II and
Callas, Maria:
admirers vs. detractors at performances of
allergies of
American citizenship renounced by
American Dream epitomized by
artistic philosophy of
on bel canto
birth date dispute of
bleak philosophy of
breaking friendships, as habit of
canceled performances of
in car accident, as child
childhood of
childhood dreams of
childhood interest in opera of
as childhood loner
childhood music training of
childhood singing appearances of
christening of
colleagues and
“comeback” of
as comic vs. tragic heroine
comic opera and
as “complete artist”
conservatory studies of
conventionality of
on creating new roles
death of
death of, reactions to
death feared by
declining performances of
de Hidalgo period of, see de Hidalgo, Elvira
dentistry as ambition of
di Stefano period of, see di Stefano, Giuseppe
as dramatic actress
early signs of talent of
education of
on fame
fashion tastes of
fiery temperament of
first professional adversity of
first social acceptance of
French people loved by
funeral of
genius of
Greek “blood” of
Greek Civil War and
homes of
illnesses of
jewels of
language of
last operatic appearance of
last will and testament of
legal entanglements of
as legend vs. real woman
life dominated by past
loneliness of
love and admiration craved by
as loyal to instincts
on marriage
marriage of, see Meneghini, Geovanni Battista
as mezzo
on modern music
money fears of
mother’s relationship with, see Callas, Evangelia Dimitriadis
on Mozart
myopia of
nightclubs hated by
as operatic director
operatic standards set by
on operettas
oratorio singing disliked by
perfectionism of
pet canaries of
pet dogs of
pregnancy of
press gossip about
professionalism of
professional stage debut of
public’s enthusiasm for
recordings of
regal dignity of
religious attitude of
reporters and
scholarship fund of
self-confidence lacking in
Serafin period of, see Serafin, Tullio
servants of
as shipowner
shopping habits of
singleness of purpose of
sinus troubles of
on Skorpios
sleeping pills needed by
social life important to
social singing disliked by
stage debut of, in student production
stage fright of
success of others as threat to
taped conversations with
as teacher
televised
as transformed by love
Trivella period of, see Trivella, Maria
turning point in career of
as “ugly duckling”
verbal directness of
Visconti period of, see Visconti, Luchino
voice of, criticized
voice of, as deteriorating
voice of, emotional relationship with
voice of, praised
voice of, range of
weight problems and dieting of
Zeffirelli period of, see Zeffirelli, Franco
at zenith of career
see also specific individuals and topics
Calvé, Emma
Caraza-Campos, Antonio
Cardin, Pierre
Carus, Neville
Carmen (Bizet)
Carnegie Hall (New York)
Caroli, Dr.
Carosio, Margherita
Caselotti, Louise
as jealous of M
Cassidy, Claudia
“Casta Diva” (Norma)
Castelbarco, Contessa
Catalani, Alfredo
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
M’s stage debut in
Celli, Teodoro
Cerquetti, Anita
Cetra Records
M’s first recording and
Chanel, Coco
Chapin, Schuyler
Chaplin, Charlie
Cherubini, Luigi
Chiarini, Francesco
Chicago American
Chicago Lyric Opera
Chicago Opera House
Chicago Tribune
Chopin, Frédéric
Christina (yacht)
Jackie Kennedy on board
M on board
Christoff, Boris
Christoff, Maria
Churchill, Lady Clementine
Churchill, Diana
Churchill, Randolph
Churchill, Sir Winston
Cleva, Fausto
Cohn, Roy
Colbran, Isabella
Collier, Marie
Consuelo (M’s cook)
Consul, The (Menotti)
Copley, John
Corelli, Franco
M as jealous of
Corriere della Sera
Cossotto, Fiorenza
Cournot, Yves
Coveney, John
Covent Garden (London)
centenary gala of
La Scala vs.
M’s debut at
Coward, Noel
Crespin, Régine
Curtis Institute (Philadelphia)
Cushing, Richard Cardinal
d’Adda, Brando
Daily Express
Daily Mail
d’Albert, Eugen
Dallas Civic Opera
Dallas Morning News
Dal Monte, Toti
d’Astainville, Kim
Davis, Ivan
de Almeida, Antonio
Dedichen, Ingse
de Hidalgo, Elvira
home of, as M’s refuge
as meticulous teacher
M’s departure for America and
M’s destiny perceived by
M’s devotion to
as M’s “fairy godmother”
M’s talents uncovered by
as teacher of romantic repertoire
World War II and
de Hidalgo, Luis
de Jong, Peter
Dellendas, Antonis
Del Monaco, Mario
de Los Angeles, Victoria
de Nobili, Lila
de Sabata, Victor
Dettmer, Roger
Devetzi, Vasso
Dialogues des Carmélites (Poulenc)
Diamand, Peter
Dietrich, Marlene
Dimitriadis, Petros (grandfather)
vocal excellence of
di Stefano, Giuseppe
M’s love affair with
M’s tours with
Domingo, Placido
Don Carlo (Verdi):
M as Elisabeth de Valois in
M’s collapse at rehearsal of
Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Donizetti, Gaetano
Dyer, Richard
Ebert, Carl
Elmo, Cloe
Embiricos, Milton
Embiricos, Perry
Maria Callas Page 46