Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend (33 page)

22

Losing her voice, in Rome Maria refused to finish a gala performance of
Norma
attended by the Italian President.

23

She tried to explain herself to journalists, but the press was outraged: “
Scandalo!” “Disgrazia!” “Insulta!
”

24

At the Met in February of 1958 she was lauded by General Manager Rudolf Bing.

25

With Zeffirelli in Dallas, preparing the death scene from
La Traviata
in October of 1958. She amazed everyone with her dedication, her stamina, her passion for work.

26

The day before the Dallas
Medea
, she received a cable from Bing firing her. She called it “Prussian tactics.”

27

Maria cut short her 1959 Dallas season, tearfully bid her friend Lawrencc Kelly goodbye, and returned to Italy to divorce Meneghini.

28

After courtroom hearings in Brescia, Italy, November 14, 1959, the marriage was over.

29

30

The catalyst was Onassis, who was openly pursuing her: “ . . . how could I help but be flattered if a woman with the class of Maria Callas fell in love with someone like me?”

31

Ari introduced her to world figures, friends like Winston Churchill, and opened up a fairy-tale life on the
Christina
. With Aristo, thew was for the first time a really powerful counterattraction to her art.

32

Back in New York to rehearse for a concert version of
Il Pirata
at Carnegie Hall in 1959. Barred in a single year from Rome, La Scala, and the Met, Maria no longer found music a consuming passion. Now there was Ari.

33

Maria finally returned to La Scala after a much-publicized 30-month absence, and opening night was spectacular. She waved to Ari and his guests Prince Rainier and Princess Grace at the curtain call.

34

Maria’s mother took a job selling jewelry for Jolie Gabor and made certain everyone knew about it.