Tma_04

How does the newspaper review help us to understand Callas’s reputation as a diva' A diva is defined as “someone with supreme talent, with great vocal facility and an ability to convey the emotional nuances of the music to her audience”, (Book 1, 6.1, Elaine Moohan, pg. 163). The term was used more to describe opera sopranos. Diva is now used in all different genres of music and even towards some actresses’ it now draws up negative connotations of someone who is very demanding and difficult to work with. Knowing this helps us to understand the newspaper review and ultimately Callas’s reputation as a diva. To be a diva other qualities are also needed, they need to have a larger than life personality and have something distinctly unique about their voice. Most divas have some sort of tragedy in their lives whether it is a death or a romance that goes wrong. Maria Callas had all of these qualities thus cementing her as a diva; many people view her as the ultimate diva. The newspaper review was written in 1956, eight years before Maria Callas retired. So it was not that close to the end of her career but already he talks about the problems with her voice and throat, “that throat is a hazard to be cured at all costs.” (Cassidy, C, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2010, pg. 24). For a critic he is not very critical of the performance. It was also her first appearance in the role at the Metropolitan Opera House. He would have certainly known about Maria Callas maybe even been to see her perform before, “The one time pride and joy of Chicago’s Lyric” (Cassidy, C, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2010, pg. 24). The critic is writing for the Chicago Tribune. If Callas was working in Chicago as the reviewer was they might even have met. “The Beautiful Maria” (Cassidy, C, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2010, pg. 24).This could be the reason why he is so biased about her performance. The review is very one sided, after every negative comment about her he backs it up with something positive. “Some less critical notes of Donizetti’s ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ died in her throat. But essentially a singer of such superlative quality that even her ‘flawed’ Lucia is incomparable in our time.” (Cassidy, C, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2010, pg. 23). It would be interesting to read what other critics had to say about the performance to compare this review. On listening to the piece of music, the first thing that strikes is the timbre of Callas’s voice in the lower register it is very rich and full, but in the upper part it can sound quite thin “though her top notes were almost as insecure as her tenor” (Cassidy, C, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2010, pg. 24). You can faintly hear the bass parts of the orchestra while Callas is singing, then to the crescendo of the full orchestral harmony adding drama to the piece. The tempo varies speeding up and slowing down to add to the emotions ending quite frenzied with a jagged melodic line. Her embellishments help to prove her place in the lead role her vibrato is beautifully and effortlessly achieved.