Consul General of Italy in San Francisco's speech

Ladies & Gentlemen,
Maria Callas was born in the United States into a Greek family and she became Italian by marriage. She also performed twice in San Francisco. How to better  celebrate her then, than in this city and with an exhibition organized jointly by Italians and Greeks?

This display of photographs, costumes, jewelry and memorabilia has two main sources: the collection of the Maria Callas International Association, whose President Mr. Bruno Tosi is with us tonight, and the photos contributed by the Hellenic Parliament Foundation.

Maria Callas is still the unsurpassed expression of an opera singer in the soprano role and this exhibition is a tribute to this unforgettable artist.

33 years after her death she is still remembered as “la divina” and has cohorts of fans all over the world. Her celestial voice, her personal tragedies and problematic sentimental relations, her love-hate relation with food made her life the stuff of legend.

We are hosted in the new premises of the Italian Cultural Institute. Finally Italian culture in San Francisco can be promoted from an adequate showcase. We took this opportunity to raise some funds for the new Institute building and for the upgrades that were necessary for its new purpose.

In times of budget cuts and lingering economic recession the director of the Italian Cultural Institute made a bet against the odds and I support her in this challenge. We believe Italian culture has to play a role in this city and Northern California. We believe this role can be enhanced through an improved offer of services and events for all those interested in Italian cultural expressions of the past and the present.

I also want finally to thank all those who contributed to this gala.  Donors, sponsors and members of the organizing Committee, without your invaluable support all this would have not happened.

Fabrizio Marcelli
Consul General of Italy in San Francisco