Maria Callas and The Greek National Opera

 

From the establishment of the Greek National Opera in 1940, Maria Kalogeropoulou (later known as Maria Callas)has trained, performed and made several debuts in roles that were later on in her career, considered her most renowned. Roles such us Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca", Giuseppe Verdi's " La Traviata" and "Il Trovatore", Gioachino Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Seviglia" and Vincenzo Bellini's "Norma". 

In 1945 Maria Callas leaves Athens. The Greek National Opera stuff are requested by the government to explain their behaviour during the war. 

Manolis Kalomoiris, Greek National Opera's General Manager from 1944 to 1945, writes and submits to the government and apologetic letter where he explains his decision to perform operas for the Germans. He talks about his decision to select Maria Callas to perform the leading roles in L.V. Beethoven's "Fidelio" and in "Protomastoras" where he further explains that Callas cause a standing ovation for "her singing, a vocal symbol of art and liberty".

Kostios, A., 2007, From "Greek Melodrama" to the Greek National Opera, in Anna Karapanou (ed.) Maria Callas: 30 Years after  (Athens: The Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy) pp.31.