Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Lee Morgan" <LMorgan923@t...>
Date:  Sun Jan 27, 2002  11:32 pm
Subject:  RE: [vocalist] Callas question

I've always thought the problem with Callas was too-heavy rep. However, I
have seen film of her performing and I do think she is the ultimate example
of a singer whose interpretation of a role made the defects in her voice
less important. I can remember seeing a clip of her in Tosca on PBS once
that really made me understand the mania about her. She HAD the character
and it was incredible.

Lee Morgan
Mezzo-soprano

-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Harrison [mailto:peggyh@i...]
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 2:31 PM
To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [vocalist] Callas question


Greypins@a... wrote:

> what i wonder about callas is if her weight loss was attributable
to
> some eating disorder (bulimia, anorexia, etc.) and, if it were, if this
> partially accounts for her supposed vocal decline (i wouldn't argue that
her,
> in her latter years was as healthy as in her younger days) and, if this
has
> served to fuel the notion that opera singers have to be overweight
(something
> i would argue).

That I never heard. Mostly they attribute the weight loss
to the crash-diet she went on to lose lots of weight fast,
which was the weight-loss fashion of the day. Then she
supposedly partied too long and hard when she was with
Onassis. Who can say. When I read a bio of her, I was
struck by how she rehearsed and rehearsed, for hours and
hours, and always sang all-out, every minute. I can't
believe that didn't take a toll on her voice. And probably
singing too many roles that were a tad to heavy for her
voice. And always going for the drama instead of playing it
safe vocally. Ah well....most of us would rather have had
Maria the way she was for not enough good vocal years than
another one of the legion of vanilla artists for a 25-year
career.

Peggy

--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...








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