CALLAS AND HER TENORS ROGER PINES EXAMINES HOW THE SOPRANO AND HER LEADING MEN RESPONDED TO EACH OTHER IN PERFORMANCE

During a stage career extending from 1939 (Cavalleria rusticana, Athens) to 1965 (Tosco, London), Maria Callas sang 43 operas opposite nearly 60 tenors. The voices of these men varied greatly in size, weight and colour, but Callas, during her vocal prime (1948-58), was miraculously skilful in adapting her instrument to balance with them. She could easily pull back when singing with a slim-voiced tenore digrazia or pour out her full power to match a trumpeting tenore robusto. It's fascinating to examine how Callas responded to her partners, and vice versa. With so much material to consider, I've chosen to avoid Callas's studio recordings and look at live performances exclusively.

Automated summary

This article discusses Maria Callas's collaborations with nearly 60 tenors, examining how she skillfully adapted her voice to match different types of tenor voices. The author focuses on live performances to explore Callas's interactions with her partners.