Callas, << KAL uhs, >> Maria (1923-1977), became one of the world’s best-known opera sopranos. She gained international fame for her vocal virtuosity, dramatic intensity, and fiery temperament.
Callas was born in New York City of Greek parents on Dec. 2, 1923. She was therefore a citizen of both Greece and the United States. Her full name was Cecilia Sophia Anna Maria Kalogeropoulos. At 13, she returned with her parents to Greece and won a scholarship at the Royal Conservatory in Athens. At 17, she made her professional debut at the Athens Opera in Tosca. After major triumphs in Italian opera houses, Callas made her U.S. debut in Chicago in 1954. She sang the leading role in Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma and was a great success. The operas Callas recorded included Norma, I Puritani, Tosca, La Boheme, and La Traviata. She gave up her U.S. citizenship in 1966. Callas died on Sept. 16, 1977.
