It is 30 years since the great Greek diva Maria Callas died of a 
broken heart after Onassis left her for his trophy wife, Jacqueline Kennedy.
They were both married when they embarked on their sensational and doomed affair, yet yielded vigorously to their passions. They lived gripping and complicated lives which continues to fascinate.
I only wish I had the money to buy some of Callas’ letters and other personal belongings which are being auctioned next week. These include the letters sent to her abandoned husband Giovanni Battista Meneghini, who also never recovered from his broken heart. There were no winners here.
It is a while since I read Arianna Stassinopoulos’ mesmerising biography Maria Callas, the Woman Behind the Legend, and I find myself wanting to know everything about her tragic life all over again, so I have bought a dvd of Franco Zeffirelli’s Callas Forever, listed as collectible, and starring Fanny Ardant. I shall enjoy sharing it with my Greek mother Loula, who also has a spectacular voice and whose family is distantly related to Onassis, which I described here.
I wonder if given a second chance, Onassis would make the same decision…
And can one ever recover from a broken heart?
I watched a documentary on the Onassis dynasty, its all such a sad story really. From beginning to end. The marriage to Jackie seemed like a farce. The fact Aristotle and Maria had kids together is probably what made their relationship in particular, very strong.
There are of course some parallels with the latter years of Fonteyn – both such exquisite artistes. My French teacher at school heard Callas singing in a performance (he also saw Pavlova); I was too late myself, but I saw Fonteyn a few times.
As for the broken heart, I’m still waiting for some loving cardiac massage…
A broken heart can do more damage than one realises.
John, I must correct you, Onassis and Callas didn’t have children together, they would have loved to though, I’m sure.
Maalie, your French teacher had good taste, and obviously passed it on to you. Lucky you seeing Fonteyn.
Jean-Luc, how true that is.
I didn’t realise it was 30 years since she died. Poor woman – she had so much and yet so little. Men like Onassis just collect women like they collect everything else and JKO was the most eligible woman in the world. Also it meant he had finally broken into the kind of society he coveted. I read the same biography of Callas but I haven’t seen the Zeffirelli film. The jury’s still out on Meneghini. People don’t, I read, die of a broken heart – but grief depletes the immune system.
Wonderful voice but a mightily screwed up person. And (aside from his money) how could any woman have been attracted to Onassis. He looked like a frog.
I don’t remember who wrote the biography of Callas that I read but she was a fascinating person. A beautiful voice on some occasions, terribly disappointing on others.
Now that’s super romantic.
I have a wonderful double CD entitled, Voice of the Century, it is a brilliant overview of Maria’s best bits. I adore her singing Puccini’s Vissi d’arte from Tosca
hi, I just gave you a link, reciprocate if you like.
ciao, ti ho dato un link, se vuoi ricambia
I love hearing recordings of Maria Callas, she had a spectacular voice. My fave tenor is Domingo, not because he’s the most handsome or a better actor but because he puts so much emotion in his delivery. Pavarotti may have been the worlds best technical tenor at one time but his voice couldn’t hold a candle to Domingo’s in performance. It’s that ability to convey emotion through the voice as well as hitting the right note that makes a great singer IMHO. I also put joan sutherland in the same category and Margery McKay; a little known name but well known voice – twas she who sang ‘Climb every mountain’ in ‘The Sound of Music’.
Sorry, forgot to add that I agree – people underestimate a broken heart.
Miss Welby, many thanks for the honour, and consider yourself linked too.
Philipa, yes, Callas sang spectacularly, with her heart and soul, and again, I agree about the devastation of a broken heart.
Oops my mistake, I thought they had two children together. Must have her confused with someone else! Sorry!