It hardly seemed possible, but here we were again in the elegant Crush Room of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Had it really been five years since we had honored the 25th anniversary of this great soprano's passing?

The Maria Callas International Club, under the guidance of its esteemed Administratror, John Pettitt, celebrated the memory of Maria with a well thought out, entertaining, and at times quite moving day long program.

The proceedings began at 11.00am with an opening welcome from Mr. Pettitt. He pointed out the diversity of the audience, many coming great distances to participate. The musical program began with vocal selections from Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Siviglia. Almaviva's "Ecco ridente in cielo" was sung by tenor Anando Mukerjee. This live performance was followed by Callas' justly famous filmed version of "Una voce poco fa" from her Parisian televised debut in 1958.

This was to be the pattern for the program, the tenor in an aria from Gioconda, Puritani, Traviata, Tosca, and Don Carlos, with a soprano aria from the same operas, with Callas either on CD or DVD. The one exception was the Norma selection, arguably Callas' signature role. Mr. Mukerjee's truly beautiful instrument was of a timbre not yet suited to the role of Pollione, so we were treated to Casta Diva from the live recording made during the Norma performance at Covent Garden in 1952. It was a little eerie to think that 55 years previously in the same theatre where we were now all gathered, Callas had captured the public's imagination forever in what many consider the most demanding of all soprano roles.

During the interval we were all treated to light refreshments and a great deal of animated conversation. Among the distinguished crowd was the elegant figure of Robert Sutherland, Maria's accompanist of her worldwide tour of 1973-74. Mr. Sutherland's memoirs of that turbulent time are contained in his fascinating book, "Diaries of a Friendship". I consider it to be one of the most insightful into the complexities that made up the creature we know as La Callas.

During this break I was privileged to present my record label's newest Callas issue, "Callas-Tosca- the unknown recording" produced from a previously unknown master tape of Maria's legendary return with Franco Corelli in 1965.

The program then resumed with some particularly lovely singing from Anando Mukerjee. His shaping of Alfredo's "De' miei bollenti spiriti" was memorable, with clear, accurate emission and an exquisitely Italian warmth of expression. He is one of the leading lyric tenors of India, making his international debut as Rodolfo with the Belgrade National Opera. His studies with the renowned Nicolai Gedda point to a very promising career. His accompanist, Stephen Wilder, has collaborated with a roster of luminaries such as Philip Langridge, Maria Ewing, Felicity Lott and Pavarotti.

Our next stop in the all day program was a lunch at that favorite opera restaurant, Sarastros. From there we trooped through Covent Garden to the Bertorelli Restaurant. The lower quarters of the establishment had been turned over to the Callas Club, where Professor George Fleeton presented an additonal audiovisual tribute. This was a more casual grouping, with an open bar, accompanied by an assortment of finger foods. The gathering lingered far past the scheduled time and many fond farewells were bid as we emerged in the pleasant English evening, the unique sound of Maria still in our ears.

Patrick C. Byrne

Dit essay werd geschreven door Patrick C. Byrne, een Amerikaanse operaliefhebber.
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