Cast a Diva

Maria Callas, who lived from 1923 to 1977, is remembered as an opera singer whose career no other prima donna has matched. Her stormy affair with Aristotle Onassis, which ended when he left her for Jacqueline Kennedy, and her notorious outbursts on and off the stage have tended to overshadow nearly everything else about her.

Less is known about the person behind the performer. Lyndsy Spence traces Callas's upbringing, split between New York and Greece, where a domineering and emotionally cruel mother pushed her toward singing. The book follows her decision to leave her family in Greece and pursue an international career.

Callas was celebrated by royalty and Hollywood stars, and she battled sexism to reach the top of her profession. Through it all, she longed for a contented private life, a goal that always eluded her. Drawing on material that has not previously been seen, the author presents a portrait of a singer whose story is both dramatic and sorrowful.