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The Information was taken from Wikipedia/
Maria Callas, Commendatore OMRI (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. Critics praised her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic gifts. Her repertoire ranged from classical opera seria to the bel canto operas of Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini; further, to the works of Verdi and Puccini; and, in her early career, to the music dramas of Wagner. Her musical and dramatic talents led to her being hailed as La Divina.
Born in New York City and raised by an overbearing mother, she received her musical education in Greece and established her career in Italy. Forced to deal with the exigencies of wartime poverty and with myopia that left her nearly blind onstage, she endured struggles and scandal over the course of her career. She turned herself from a heavy woman into a svelte and glamorous one after a mid-career weight loss, which might have contributed to her vocal decline and the premature end of her career. The press exulted in publicizing Callas's allegedly temperamental behaviour, her supposed rivalry with Renata Tebaldi and her love affair with Aristotle Onassis. Her dramatic life and personal tragedy have often overshadowed Callas the artist in the popular press. However, her artistic achievements were such that Leonard Bernstein called her "The Bible of opera"; and her influence was so enduring that, in 2006, Opera News wrote of her: "Nearly thirty years after her death, she's still the definition of the diva as artist—and still one of classical music's best-selling vocalists."
The apartment house in Athens where Callas lived from 1937 to 1945
According to her birth certificate, Maria Callas was born Sophia Cecelia Kalos at Flower Hospital (now the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center), at 1249 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, on December 2, 1923 to Greek parents George Kalogeropoulos and Evangelia "Litsa" (sometimes "Litza") Dimitriadou, though she was christened Anna Maria Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulou (Greek: Μαρία Άννα Σοφία Καικιλία Καλογεροπούλου)—the genitive of the patronymic Kalogeropoulos. Callas's father had shortened the surname Kalogeropoulos first to "Kalos" and subsequently to "Callas" in order to make it more manageable.
George and Evangelia were an ill-matched couple from the beginning; he was easy-going and unambitious, with no interest in the arts, while his wife was vivacious and socially ambitious, and had held dreams of a life in the arts for herself. The situation was aggravated by George's philandering and was improved neither by the birth of a daughter, named Yakinthi (later called Jackie), in 1917 nor the birth of a son, named Vassilis, in 1920. Vassilis's death from meningitis in the summer of 1922 dealt another blow to the marriage. In 1923, after realizing that Evangelia was pregnant again, George made the unilateral decision to move his family to America, a decision which Yakinthi recalled was greeted with Evangelia "shouting hysterically" followed by George "slamming doors" The family left for New York in July 1923, moving first into an apartment in Astoria, Queens. She was christened at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in 1926. When Maria was 4, George Callas opened his own pharmacy, settling the family in Manhattan on 192nd Street in Washington Heights where Callas grew up.
Evangelia was convinced that her third child would be a boy; her disappointment at the birth of another daughter was so great that she refused to even look at her new baby for four days. Around the age of three, Maria's musical talent began to manifest itself, and after Evangelia discovered that her youngest daughter also had a voice, she began pressing "Mary" to sing. Callas would later recall, "I was made to sing when I was only five, and I hated it." George was unhappy with his wife favouring their elder daughter, as well as the pressure put upon young Mary to sing and perform. The marriage continued to deteriorate and in 1937 Evangelia decided to return to Athens with her two daughters
My Notes: If you would like to read more check out Wikipedia
Background information for understanding "La mamma morta"
"La mamma morta" ("They killed my mother") is an aria in the 1896 opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano. The singer is the soprano character Maddalena di Coigny. At this point in the opera Maddalena, daughter of a noble family, is telling Gérard, one of the rivals for her love, how she has been orphaned when her mother was killed protecting her during the turmoils of the French Revolution. She almost gave up on life when her faithful servant Bersi was forced to "trade her beauty" (possibly prostituted) in order to save her when she was ill. This desperation is implied in the line Porto sventura a chi bene mi vuole! (Woe to those who love me well!) which is placed at the centre of the aria. From this point onwards, Maddalena recalls hearing the "voice of love", which promises companionship and forgetfulness of the horrors of Revolution.
The aria is a favourite show piece of a spinto soprano, especially ones who specialize in the Italian idiom of verismo. In the opera the aria is placed in the third act, after Gérard's aria Nemico della patria... Un dì m'era di gioia, another famous aria which showcases the baritone playing Gérard. Comprising a range between C#4 to B5, the tessitura of the aria lies in the octave between F#4 and F#5, with the second section lying higher than the first section. The instrumentation of the aria is especially effective, for example the string tremolo which suggested the fires that destroyed Maddalena's home. The aria itself is divided into two sections: a tender melancholic opening part which recalls Maddalena's misadventures; and a heroic second part, full of high arching phrases, which suggested the voice of the god of Love. An oppure was written by Giordano as alternative to accommodate the climactic top B, providing shorter phrases and two full measure rests.
As performed by Maria Callas, the aria plays an important role in the movie Philadelphia. Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) calls it his favorite aria and plays it for his attorney, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). Miller looks on in amazement as Beckett goes through the aria, translating some of the Italian and giving Miller a greater context for why the woman is singing what she is. Although he is seriously ill at this point, Beckett is so moved by the music that he gets up and moves around the room with his IV stand. Miller, profoundly moved by the experience, is also made uncomfortable by his feelings, so he finds an excuse to leave Beckett's apartment as soon as possible. When Miller arrives home he cradles his infant daughter then joins his wife in a tender embrace recognizing how fortunate he is.
Italian
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Translation in English
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| La mamma morta m'hanno alla porta della stanza mia Moriva e mi salvava! poi a notte alta io con Bersi errava, quando ad un tratto un livido bagliore guizza e rischiara innanzi a' passi miei la cupa via! Guardo! Bruciava il loco di mia culla! Così fui sola! E intorno il nulla! Fame e miseria! Il bisogno, il periglio! Caddi malata, e Bersi, buona e pura, di sua bellezza ha fatto un mercato, un contratto per me! Porto sventura a chi bene mi vuole! Fu in quel dolore che a me venne l'amor! Voce piena d'armonia e dice Vivi ancora! Io son la vita! Ne' miei occhi è il tuo cielo! Tu non sei sola! Le lacrime tue io le raccolgo! Io sto sul tuo cammino e ti sorreggo! Sorridi e spera! Io son l'amore! Tutto intorno è sangue e fango? Io son divino! Io son l'oblio! Io sono il dio che sovra il mondo scendo da l'empireo, fa della terra un ciel! Ah! Io son l'amore, io son l'amor, l'amor E l'angelo si accosta, bacia, e vi bacia la morte! Corpo di moribonda è il corpo mio. Prendilo dunque. Io son già morta cosa! |
They have killed my mother at the door of my room She died and saved me. Later, at dead of night, I was with Bersi, when suddenly a bright glow flickers and lights were ahead of me the dark street! I looked - My childhood home was on fire! I was alone! surrounded by nothingness! Hunger and misery deprivation, danger! I fell ill, and Bersi, so good and pure made a market of her beauty for my sake - I bring misfortune to all who care for me! It was then, in my grief, that love came to me. A voice full of harmony says, "You must live, I am life itself! Your heaven is in my eyes! You are not alone. I shall collect all your tears I will walk with you and support you! Smile and hope! I am Love! Are you surrounded by blood and mire? I am Divine! I am Oblivion! I am the God who saves the World I descend from Heaven and make this Earth A heaven! Ah! I am love, love, love." And the angel approaches with a kiss, and he kisses death - A dying body is my body. So take it. I am already dead matter! |
Libretto
Maria Callas - La mamma morta
My Notes: Opera is more enjoyable when one can understand the libretto ("little book") and the music..
Here is the translation of "O mio babbino caro" song by Marie. As I increase my knowledge of the songs, I will pass the information on to you.
Uploaded on Jul 5, 2010
Maria Callas
"O mio babbino caro".
An aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) , by Giacomo Puccini, to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano.
RTF Rhil. Orchestra -- G. Pretre, Paris 05/06/1963.
"O mio babbino caro" ("Oh My Beloved Father") is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918), by Giacomo Puccini, to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father Schicchi and the family of Rinuccio, the boy she loves, have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate her from Rinuccio. It provides a contrasting interlude expressing lyrical simplicity and single-hearted love in the atmosphere of hypocrisy, jealousy, double-dealing and feuding in medieval Florence of Puccini's only comedy, and it provides the only set-piece in the through-composed opera.
The aria was first performed at the premiere of Gianni Schicchi on 14 December 1918 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York by the popular Victorian English soprano Florence Easton. It has been sung subsequently by many sopranos. Dame Joan Hammond won a Gold Record in 1969 for 1 million sold copies of this aria.
The aria is frequently performed in concerts and as an encore in recitals by many popular and crossover singers; it is used in films and several bands cover the aria in their own style. The song is arguably far more well-known than the opera from which it comes.
O mio babbino caro
Mi piace, è bello, bello
Vo' andare in Porta Rossa
a comperar l'anello!
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare!
e se l'amassi indarno,
andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Oh my dear papa
I love him, he is handsome, handsome
I want to go to Porta Rossa
to buy the ring!
Yes, yes, I want to go there!
And if my love were in vain,
I would go to the Ponte Vecchio
and throw myself in the Arno!
I am being consumed by the torment!
Oh God, I'd like to die!
Papa, have pity, have pity!
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