| On December 2nd RAI 2 dedicated
a very long reportage to Maria Callas, on the very day
she would have been 85. Giancarlo Magalli, presenter
of the popular programme “Piazza Grande”,
broadcasted before midday news, had, as very special
guest, Giulietta Simionato, always lively and fit in
her 95 years.
The famous soprano was the Divina’s greatest friend
for all her life, and she was with her on the stage
several times, from 1950 in Mexico City to the unforgettable
“Norma” at Paris Opera in 1965, the Greek
leading lady’s last performance.
Giulietta Simionato recalled a lot of private meeting
with Maria, showing, once again, her colleague’s
unquestionable superiority, but she preferred indulging
in her ultimate fragility and in her deep, authentic
humanity. All this was in contrast with the imagination
of people, who thought of her as a “tiger”;
in fact, in her private life and in her friendly relations,
she was extremely simple and somehow childlike.
“She was really unpretentious and once she told
me she would never give a penny to go and listen to
herself at theatre”-the mezzosoprano said . “When
we were together we enjoyed ourselves and used to talk
a lot, because we were close friends”.
Then Giulietta Simionato revealed some particulars
about the strong rivalry with Renata Tebaldi, broken
out in Rio de Janeiro in 1951, when the two leading
ladies were together on the stage for a Brazilian Red
Cross concert.
In that occasion Mrs.Tebaldi didn’t keep promise
not to give an encore, and this provoked Maria’s
strong reaction.
At last the mezzosoprano talked about some unrevealed
aspects of the love affair between Maria and Aristotele
Onassis, that lasted eight years, and she judged very
severely the shipowner’s behaviour.
Maria Callas and Giulietta Simionato at Paris Opera
(Norma) 1965
***
On her birthday we received a lot of
wishes e-mail for the unforgettable Divina. Among them
all, we chose Valentina, who dedicated the following
poem by Pablo Neruda “to Maria Callas and her
voice that bewitched us”
…Lovely one, my lovely one,
Your voice, your skin, your nails,
Lovely one, my lovely one,
Your being, your light, your shadow,
All that is mine, lovely one,
All that is mine, lovely dear
When you walk or rest,
When you sleep or dream,
Always,
When you are close or far,
Always,
You are mine, my lovely one,
Always
|
