Maria Callas at 100 – Milan mounts 2 months of events to celebrate

From 1 November to 31 December 2023, Milan will dedicate a programme of events for Callas 100, to mark the centenary of the great soprano's birth on 2 December.

Maria Callas (1923 – 1977) during the 1950s and 1960s performed some of the most memorable productions at La Scala, becoming a true icon of the 20th century.

Important Milanese cultural institutions, from La Scala to the Sormani Library to the Gallerie d'Italia, are organising events to celebrate her in a programme culminating in Callas Day on 2 December.

Callas Phantasmagoria at the Museo del Teatro alla Scala

From 17 November 2023 to 30 April 2024

The Fantasmagoria Callas exhibition in the Museo Teatrale alla Scala describes the mark that Maria Callas left even for today's young artists.

The viewer is greeted by costumes worn by Callas, including one hand-painted by Salvatore Fiume in 1953, then each of the five rooms of the exhibition is dedicated to an artist who was fascinated by Callas' world.

Giorgio Armani represents fashion with a dress that attempts to give shape to a voice; Alvin Curran contemporary music with a re-elaboration of historical recordings; Francesco Vezzoli and Latifa Echakch contemporary art contemplating on the myth; Mario Martone cinema with a short film starring Sonia Bergamasco on the fascination exercised by the great soprano on Ingeborg Bachmann.

Admission included in the museum entrance ticket

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Readings and notes at the Museum

Museo Teatrale alla Scala – 17 November

At the Museo Teatrale alla Scala, from 6 to 8 pm, there will be the presentation of the book “Maria Callas” by Alberto Bentoglio, which traces the profile of Maria Callas as singer-actress, illustrating her artistic career through the directors with whom she collaborated during her career.

Free admission – booking required.

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Maria Callas. Portraits at the Gallerie d'Italia

From 9 November 2023 to 18 February 2024

Gallerie d'Italia dedicates a photographic exhibition to Maria Callas focusing on the artist's life away from the stage, during the most significant moments of her career.

The first photo, dated 1 December 1954, portrays her together with the three great conductors Arturo Toscanini, Victor De Sabata and Antonino Votto after one of the Vestale rehearsals; the last one is dated 7 December 1970 and represents her return to La Scala, as a spectator, next to Wally Toscanini.

In between, 91 images recount a life that was not always easy, but perhaps for this reason brought her closer to a general public. This photojournalistic journey, curated by Aldo Grasso, uses vintage prints from the Intesa San Paolo Publifoto Archive.

From black and white comes a tale of the thousand facets of Maria, and not only of Callas on stage.

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Maria Callas. The Voice and the Amulet in the Church of San Gottardo in Corte

4 December 2023 to 8 January 2024

Maria Callas would never go on stage unless she had her ‘amulet' with her: an 18th-century painting of The Holy Family attributed to the Veronese painter G.B. Cignaroli, kept in a red velvet case. It was a gift from Gian Battista Meneghini, her first and only husband, received on the eve of her debut at the Arena in Verona on 1 August 1947.

The painting is on a wooden panel and has been rarely exhibited. The work is exhibited in the Church of San Gottardo in Corte, the artists' church, and part of the Duomo Museum tour.

Admission included in the ticket to the Duomo Museum

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CALLAS VOCE ASSOLUTA | La Divina in Sormani

From 24 November to 9 December 2023

The Sormani Library is dedicating an exhibition to Maria Callas with some of the most sought-after vinyls, such as the historic live recordings at Milan's La Scala Theatre between 1951 and 1958. Books, CDs and DVDs featuring La Divina will be available for loan.

By scanning a QR code, it will be possible to see the video Callas, Voce assoluta, which traces the artist through the main stages of her career.

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Callas – Paris, 1958

From 5 to 8 November in cinemas

In December 1958 Maria Callas made her debut at the Paris Opéra in the concert “La Grande Nuit de l'Opéra”, which was filmed and broadcast live throughout Europe and would become one of the events of the century.

The film makes this historic performance available for the first time entirely in colour and in 4K Ultra HD – restored from the original reels and a recently found sound source – bringing it to life in a visually new guise. It is directed by Tom Volf.

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Maria Callas: life as a novel at the Franco Parenti Theatre

19 November

At 11 am an encounter with Daisy Goodwin and presentation of her new novel, Diva. Goodwin brings to life “a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice.”

Initiative within the framework of BookCity Milano. Free entrance.

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The Real Maria Callas at the Franco Parenti Theatre

19 November

At 4pm the premiere presentation of Annarita Briganti's new essay ‘Maria Callas. La Diva umana'.

For those who love “great stories, the courage, talent, strength, and weaknesses of a myth of our time” will be discussed. The author of the book, journalist, writer, and columnist, will speak with journalist Isabella Fava, with readings by actress Alessandra De Luca.

Initiative within the framework of BookCity Milano. Free entrance.

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Callas Day

2 December 2023

On 2 December, Maria Callas' birthday, Milan celebrates Callas Day.

It starts at the Teatro alla Scala at 5.30 pm with the screening of the documentary MYCALLAS by Roberto Dassoni: a documentary, made for the centenary, with testimonies by those who knew her and worked with her.

Throughout the day the Gallerie d'Italia will open its doors free of charge, offering guided tours of the exhibition.

The day ends at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano (Teatro Grassi), at 8.30 pm, with an evening guided by Concita De Gregorio, who together with other guests “will investigate and weave a web of stories and memories starting from the meeting between Pasolini and Maria on the set of Medea”.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.