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An avenue for Maria Callas. This is the homage that the
city of Paris has bestowed upon the great soprano, who
chose to spend the last years of her life there and was
to die there on 16th December 1977 at the age of only
53. The Major of Paris, Jean Tiberi, has chosen a long
and important road, the chosen a long and important road,
the Avenue Georges Mandel, which starts in from of the
Trocadero and was where she lived for some time. In the
little garden in front of the small Liberty building there
is a plaque which records the fact that the greatest Primadonna
of our age resided here until her death. On the outer
gate, N.36, a floral tribute from one of her countless
admirers is always to be found. "Allée Maria Callas" in
the new name of the street, right in front of the singer's
home. The ceremony took place on 2nd December 2000, the
very day that Callas was born in New York in 1923. This
homage to Callas had originally been scheduled for 16th
September 1997 on the 2oth anniversary of her death. The
area of the Place de L'Alma had been chosen, but the sudden
death of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed in
the underpass directly below only two weeks before the
anniversary meant that the event had to be called off.
However, M.Tiberi, the Mayor, was as good as his word,
and made a very beautiful speech. There was a huge turn-out;
representatives of the various Authorities and many of
her admirers. Among those present was the president of
the Associazione Callas, Bruno Tosi who for the anniversary
of her death in 1997 had worked with Simone Benmussa to
organize the Grand Gala Concert at the Hotel de Ville
in the Banquet Rooms of this great Town Hall. At the same
venue in 1998 he stayed the major exhibition "Maria Callas,
une Femme, une Voix, un Mythe" , which ran for four months
and attracted nearly a quarter of a million visitors.
Also present at the ceremony was the celebrated conductor
Georges Prêtre, who had frequently worked with Callas,
directing her both in the Recording Studio and on stage,
including her last Paris 'Norma' in 1964. Prêtre, accompanied
by his wife, was deeply moved. The Great Maestro also
took the opportunity to express his indignation regarding
the tuning of the auction in Paris to co-incide with the
dedication of the street. He described the sale of her
undergarments as 'a scandal'. These were purchased by
the Athens City Council and then burnt. Callas should
be remembered for her voice and through those personal
effects which bear witness to her great achievements as
an artist. The Associazione Callas also saw fit to deplore
the display and sale of the garments, of which it had
no knowledge.
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