Becoming Callas — What made her so special?

In this special episode we have a return ghost guest — the birthday girl herself, Maria Callas! At her centenary, we ask the questions: What made her so special? Was she really the best ever? And will we ever hear her like again?

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:06 Welcome
2:35 Who was Maria Callas?
6:52 Bel Canto vs Verismo
10:37 Becoming Callas
17:44 The Old School
29:44 Her Predecessors
46:54 The Eras of Callas
59:12 How to create a Callas
1:08:39 What we owe her

Sources

Recorded music:
Maria Callas — “Il Trovatore” live in Mexico, 1950, remastered by Divina Records: https://divinarecords.com/maria-calla...
Maria Callas — “The Complete Master Classes”, 1972, remastered by Divina Records: https://divinarecords.com/maria-calla...
Rae Woodland — “Attila” live in Sadler’s Wells, 1963: Attila - Verdi 1963 Sadler's Wells Op...
Elvira de Hidalgo — “Ah! Non giunge”: Elvira de Hidalgo sings Ah non giunge...
Transcripts made from my EMG mark Xb oversize gramophone of Callas (Cetra), Nordica (Columbia), Destinn, Raisa, Burzio

Interviews:
“L’invité du dimanche”, ORTF, 1969: The Callas Conversations Volume Two (1)
The Callas Conversations Volume Two (2)
The Callas Conversations Volume Two (3)
The Callas Conversations Volume Two (6)
“La Monde de la Musique” with Bernard Gavoty, ORTF, 1964 & 1965: Maria Callas in Conversation with Ber...
Maria Callas In Conversation With Ber...
With Norman Ross jr, Chicago, 1957: Maria CALLAS. Entretien avec Norman R...
“Collector’s Corner” with John Ardoin, Dallas, 1958: Maria Callas - Dallas Interview 1968
“Albo d’Oro della Lirica” with Rodolfo Celletti and Giorgio Gualerzi, Rai Radio 2, 1972: "Albo d'Oro della Lirica": Eugenia Bu...
“The Callas Conversations” with Lord George Harewood, BBC, 1968: Maria CALLAS. [RARE] '' The Callas Co...
With Edward Downes, New York, 1967 & 68: Maria CALLAS. Entretien avec Edward D...

Written:
“Great women-singers of my time”, Herman Klein, 1931: https://archive.org/details/greatwome...
“Prima Voce: Emmy Destinn”, liner notes by Alan Bilgora, Nimbus Records: https://web.archive.org/web/200503021...
“Vocal Mastery”, Harriette Brower, 1920: https://archive.org/details/vocalmast...
“Maria Meneghini Callas”, Michael Scott, 1992: https://archive.org/details/mariamene...
“Cast a Diva”, Lyndsy Spence, 2021: Goodreads: cast-a-diva
“A Controversial Prima Donna”, by Philip Hope Wallace, Manchester Guardian, February 1957: https://www.theguardian.com/music/201...

My videos:
Bel Canto vs Verismo: Puccini’s Mimì - It’s What He Would H...
Legato: What is legato? (And how is it done?)
Registers: A brief history of vocal registers - ...
Diagnosing Callas: Diagnosing Callas - What REALLY happe...