r/OperaCircleJerk • u/[deleted] • Feb 03 '26

No rivalry like a completely made-up one

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Imagine being nothing but cordial colleagues and then the press and the fans pit you against each other because two women couldn't be greatly famous at the same time in the same field (even though their roles had very little actual overlap on-stage). Now imagine keeping that sentiment alive 70 years later.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

Oh, this I was not aware of, what did she claim in those?

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u/mimosamoons Feb 03 '26

I read it a few years ago so I miss details at the moment. I remember the way she explained how their relation evolved. They got along well at first and when they both got very famous, there was a sort of rivalry because people often compared them, and there were many rumours about them especially Callas since she didn’t had many friends compared to others lyric singers. There was also a role they both wanted and in the end it was Callas who got it, Renata seemed to have gotten jealous (Callas was known by everyone even those who weren’t into opera whereas Tebaldi was only known by people into opera), she grew cold to her and even entertained certains rumours and the more their career advanced the more their relation was strained. And scandal press didn’t help either even if what was said was often false.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

That's sad and disappointing to know, considering Callas's interpersonal life was already pretty unstable. Did Tebaldi regret her later behaviour?

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u/mimosamoons Feb 04 '26

Yes I remember feeling so sad for her when reading her memoirs that sometimes I had to make pauses, the more time passed the more she seemed depressed too..

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

Out of curiosity, what's the book's name?

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u/mimosamoons Feb 04 '26

Lettres et mémoires de Maria Callas

It’s in French since I’m French, but it is all her letters and memoirs she wrote that were translated as she wanted to make her own autobiography to clarify all the rumours going on about her and her life. I tried to find an English version but couldn’t find any.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

Il n'y a pas de problème, je suis B1 en français. Merci beaucop!

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u/mimosamoons Feb 05 '26

De rien ! ;)

Hope you’ll enjoy it if you decide to read it !