Maria Callas: A century since the birth of an opera great
December 2 marks 100 years since the birth of one of the most influential opera singers of the 20th century.
Born Maria Kalogeropoulos to Greek parents in New York in 1923, Callas made her professional debut as an 18-year-old in Athens and went on to have an illustrious career performing at opera houses around the world.
She died of a heart attack at her home in Paris at age 53.
In 2023, the life of Maria Callas was commemorated with a year of events in her honor including the inauguration of the first museum dedicated to the soprano great as well as the upcoming movie "Maria", starring Angelina Jolie.
Opera singer Maria Meneghini-Callas, dressed in the role of Lady Macbeth, looks over the score of Verdi's Macbeth in her dressing room at La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy, Dec. 13, 1952. (AP Photo)
Opera stars Maria Meneghini-Callas, left, of Milan's famed La Scala Opera company, and Giuseppe di Stefano, Italian tenor, toast each other with beer steins at the annual West Berlin Cultural Festival in West Berlin, Germany, Sept. 30, 1955. The two singers performed with the La Scala company the previous day, with Mrs. Meneghini-Callas receiving six minute ovations. The 34-year-old soprano came to Europe at the age of 13 and has been singing with La Scala for six years. It was the company's first appearance in Berlin since 1929. (AP Photo/Heinrich Sanden Jr.)
World-famed soprano Maria Meneghini-Callas, center, sits on the floor at her home on Nov. 24, 1955 in Milan, Italy, playing with her poodle. Looking on is her husband, Italian industrialist Giovanni Battista Meneghini. (AP Photo/Raoul Fornezza)
Actress Marlene Dietrich, right, congratulates Maria Meneghini-Callas backstage at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York on Oct. 29, 1956, where the latter made her debut in "Norma". Between them is her husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini. (AP Photo/Tom Fitzsimmons)
Opera soprano Maria Callas holds her poodle, Toy, as she appears in New York Supreme Court for a pre-trial hearing on a claim of her former agent for $300,000, Dec. 20, 1956. E. Richard Bagarozy claims the money, ten percent of three million dollars he said Callas has made since 1947, is due to him for services as personal representative. In reply, the singer said the agent breached the agreement by failing to "use his best efforts" to further her career. Man at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Anthony Camerano)
Opera soprano Maria Callas holds and feeds pigeons in Trafalgar Square, in London, February 4, 1957. Miss Callas is currently starring in the title role in Bellini’s “Norma” at the Royal Opera House in the Covent Garden district of London. (AP Photo/Sidney Smart)
Prima Donna Maria Callas is surrounded by newsmen on leaving Rome on January 9, 1958 for Milan. The soprano was unable to fulfill her expressed desire to make up for walking out after performing in the first act of "Norma" at the opening night of Rome opera season on January 2. The man wearing light colored topcoat and dark hat, center, is Miss Callas' husband, Italian industrialist Giovanni Battista Meneghini. (AP Photo/Mario Torrisi)
Opera soprano Maria Callas acknowledges cheers from a capacity crowd at the Civic Opera House in Chicago, January 22, 1958. It was her first singing engagement since the upset in Rome in which she did not complete her performance claiming illness. (AP Photo/Ed Maloney)
Elsa Maxwell plays the piano during a party in Venice, Sept. 3, 1957. Maria Meneghini-Callas, in whose honor the ball was given, sits in low corner right foreground, listening, while orchestra members are standing round. (AP Photo/Jim Pringle)
Famed operatic soprano Maria Callas pats Sir Winston Churchill's hand on board the Onassis yacht "Christina" on the vessel's arrival at Monte Carlo, Monaco, August 13, 1959, after a three week cruise in the eastern Mediterranean. Maria Callas, her husband Giovanni Battista Meneghini and the Churchills were among the guests on board. (AP Photo)
Lady Clementine Churchill, wife of Sir Winston Churchill, right, waves enthusiastically as she admires the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece, on July 28, 1959 with opera soprano Maria Callas, left, and Mrs. Tina Onassis, center. The three are cruising the Mediterranean in the Onassis yacht "Christina." (AP Photo)
Prince Rainier III of Monaco, right and Princess Grace of Monaco, left, are shown with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and Greek opera star Maria Callas, in Palma De Mallorca, Spain, July 2, 1961, after their arrival on board the Onassis yacht 'Christina'. (AP Photo)
Soprano Maria Callas sings at the Theatre de Champs Elysees in Paris, France, under the direction of Maestro Georges Pretre, June 5, 1963. The performance was for the benefit of the hospitals of the Order of Malta. It was Madam Callas' first appearance in Paris in four years. (AP Photo/Jean-Jacques Levy)
Maria Callas pictured on stage with Renato Cioni during the gala performance of Tosca at the Royal Covent Garden Opera House, London, on Monday, July 5, 1965. (AP Photo/Robert Dear)
On July 5, 1965, Maria Callas gave her final operatic performance in London.
Soprano Maria Callas enters court in Brescia, Italy, with two unidentified escorts, for the first hearing of her divorce from Giovanni Battista Meneghini, January 15, 1971. (AP Photo/Raoul Fornezza)
Greek opera star Maria Callas is taken by surprise by baby elephant Djumbo, during the lottery draw at the 38th Gala of the Artists Union in Paris, France, April 23, 1971. Djumbo was supposed to be helping Callas with the draw, but instead chased her around the circus ring, causing immense amusement. (AP Photo)
Opera singer Maria Callas shakes hands with the audience after her concert at the Theatre de Champs Elysees in Paris, France, Dec. 7, 1973. (AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz)
Text and photo curation by Kathryn Bubien