Angela Gheorghiu risks the ire of Callas fans again with her new CD
In two weeks’ time EMI will launch a new CD by Angela Gheorghiu: “Homage To Maria Callas – Favourite Opera Arias”
In 2007 the soprano made her début at Milan‘s La Scala. Her first steps onto the legendary stage was with a recital programme, subsequently released as a CD. In an interview with Il Corriere della Sera beforehand she said of Callas “Io non ho mai sentito la sua ombra.” (literally, “I’ve never felt her shadow”) which of course put La Scala’s famous loggionisti against her feeling that she was belittling the importance of La Divina. Indicating that maybe her fiery personality is a cover for a vulnerable core, her legs visibly shook for the first twenty minutes or so of her recital, and her voice was timid, as though afraid to come out.
Now with this CD she risks the ire of Callas fans once again.
After the launch party at The Ivy, Michael White was not impressed. In his Telegraph blog he writes,
I suppose you’d call a tribute disc to Maria Callas except that Callas only seems to be involved to give endorsement to La Gheorghiu.
Most depressing was the rictus-grinning phoniness of the whole thing, as EMI staff fawned over the diva, choked with laughter at her least remarkable remarks, and smothered her with flattery so absurd she should have been offended by it – as any self-respecting artist of integrity could only be. It felt like people humouring a madwoman.
Madwoman? Not a good sign. White finishes with,
That Gheorghiu is a singer of outstanding qualities I don’t dispute. But Callas she is not. And there will be a lot Callas fans who don’t take the comparison too kindly.
I bet they will.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
