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The Colors of Callas: Reflections of an Icon

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Book Review: THE COLORS OF CALLAS: Reflections of an Icon
Authors: Taylor Pero and Patrick C. Byrne

Review by: Carl H. Berggren

"The Colors of Callas" is more than just another book about celebrity.

Authors Taylor Pero and Patrick C. Byrne, through visual word pictures and fascinating stories have illustrated the eternal dilemma facing nearly every great artist the world has ever known: the conflict of owning one¹s self and one's art versus the frenzy of friends, family, and the public to possess their share of the artist and the art which sets them apart.

The purchase price comes to the artist in a variety of forms:
head-spinning compliments, unbelievable wealth, public acclaim and lavish recognition so acute as to smother the victim. With enthusiastic graciousness, many seek to feed upon the glory and possessions of those Famous Ones who pour out their lives to satisfy the expectations and pleasures of others.

In the case of Callas, her acute perfectionism and devotion to her art resulted in consternation among her peers as well as her devouring public. They fought against her with recrimination of her stubborn insistence on recreating the lyric and music exactly as first written by the composer. What they failed to applaud was that it was that same insistence on perfection which propelled Callas to enthronement as the world's greatest coloratura. Over time, Callas¹s great indomitable spirit was brought down by those whom she had politically alienated, by self-serving operatic controllers, and by the grueling performance demands which bit by bit shaved off the fine edges of her glorious vocal range and nuances. All of this added to the stigma of being mistress to the world¹s richest and most reviled man, Aristotle Onassis, and the public humiliation she suffered as her vocal instrument slowly abandoned her.

The vivid portrayal by the authors, without bias, of colorful events that paraded across Callas¹s lifescreen, is a must-read for all who seek insight into the life of a great artist and the price one pays for the seeming riches and privilege they enjoy.

I belong to a classical music group in the city by the bay, and much comment has been made about the compelling nature of this book. I'm writing because an ignorant person has written several scathing reviews about this and other Callas biographies. His opinion is not to be counted due to the unblanced and vicious nature of all his Callas reviews. "The Colors of Callas" ranks among the most humane and sensitive I have added to my collection. Highly recommended by all of us.

"The Colors of Callas" was a real treat for this opera lover. Even as a child, I understood she was a unique talent with that incredible voice. She had such passion for her craft. She became the diva of all divas. What I did not know, was how and why she was so driven to such perfection. Taylor Pero and Patrick Byrne have provided the answer, with this insightful and fascinating biography. They took me behind the scenes of both her professional and private lives. What an intriguing and satisfying journey! In showing "The Colors of Callas", they invited me to witness the many complexities that created this empowered woman, this diva of the opera, this Maria! There never has been, nor ever will be, another like her. Thanks to Taylor and Patrick, now I know why.

This book is a great read, like watching an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". I'm not an opera nut, but I bought this book because of my fascination for celebrities and this is the only Callas book that did it for me. Great detail makes you feel like you're there. Tragedy and comedy skillfully blended. Poverty and opulance; family intrigue, thoroughaly engrosing. I'm going to read it again, but more slowly the second time around.

I found this book to be a melancholy poem to the expendable, in this case the great artist Maria Callas. Callas is gone and Verdi and Bellini live on, and there will always be others to sing their music. No one will ever sing them like La Callas. I already knew that, but I didn't really know or realize the dizzy spiral that was Callas celebrity and social life. It was a change to read an account of this woman that seemed a bit irreverant, yet respectful of her immense talent. She certainly had her vocal flaws, and the author seems to lay them out with no apologies. I think I like her a little better now that I have seen her, warts and all. Thank God she didn't write her own memoirs. Most celebrated singers and their syncophants put down some really boring stuff. This was a breath of fresh air, rather than the ususal litany of virtues.

Alvaro in St. Cloud

As an avid opera goer I relished this book from cover to cover. All that I knew about Maria Callas I learned as a child from news headlines regarding her stormy relationsip with Aristotle Onassis. After reading this book, I wanted to rush out to buy her music to experience the legendary voice so acclaimed by her fans. If you are not a fan when you begin this book, you will be by the end.

Chapter by chapter the authors allow you to re-live the highs and lows that made Maria the artist that she was. Thank you, Mr. Pero and Mr. Byrne for this unbiased account. You brought her back to life.

"The authors have skillfully woven a fine tapestry of events, with each chapter identified by a distinct color. This unique treatment allows the reader an unprecedented, near-touching closeness to Callas, as she sets her thoughts on the past. With each fact of her career and private life meticulously studied, this impresive book, with its enormous amount of compelling information, will lay to rest the belief that Maria Callas was not human."

I found this book the most riveting yet about our dear Maria.

This book is a rehashing of many overtold rumors about Callas. There is absolutely NOTHING redeeming about it. NOTHING! I own every book printed in English about this fascinating and great singer, and after 20 pages of this, I was sorry I had made the purchast. My only explanation for the other reviews here is that they were written by friends of the authors (or the authors themselves using other names) to promote sales. The structure of the book has no form...the supposed "colors" of Callas are merely trite chapter headings ("Black Clouds Over The Eternal City" - for her famous Rome cancellation, "Amber Waves of Grain" for her triumph in America, etc.). The authors have NO firsthand knowledge of the artist, and have relied solely on other biographies of the great singer to supply them with the material for this book. There is no discussion of what made her great, and I do not think they possess the musical vocabulary to do so even if they had sought to. There is no cohesive quality to the chapters, they are thrown together hodge-podge. Menotti's opera "The Consul" is refered to as "The Counsel", and numerous other misspellings abound. Famous quotes by the diva and other singers, musicians, and conductors are paraphrased, though put in quotations, and sometimes miscredited or not credited at all. A terrible waste of paper. Spend your money on a book by Ardoin, Fitzgerald, Wisneski for a true account of what makes her great. Or if you want more of the gossip/personal background, even "Greek Fire", the bio of Callas and Onassis is a more thought out and researched book. My copy of "The Colors Of Callas" was in the trash before I even sat down to type this review. I would have given it "0" stars if Amazon offered that as a choice.

The Color of Callas is a SMASHING CONTRIBUTION to the "Art World". What a gift to us. Wonderful cover, quality paper and printing, attractive hard cover and strong professional binding, BUT those things are not central to it's main value.
Colors of Callas is different!
It is both informative and factual.
But, it is yet exciting and entertaining. This book must be purchased by any serious Opera or creative arts person. I love it! The authors have affectuated a most worthy cause. Plus, they have done it excellently and with flare, accuracy and excitement.
I find most books boring. This one is NOT!
Peter Belmont, Jr.
Editor
SHOWSIGHTS Magazine

Maria Callas certainly had fame,to the extent that it forced her life in a direction that she seemed powerless to change. This was the impression I had after finishing this book. I have most of the bios. of the divas of the twentieth century on my shelves. A great number of them are of the "and then Madame sang this" genre. Yawn. Others seem to want to analyze the person behind the voice. Fine and dandy, to a point. Yet others want to give us a dissertation on the musical genius of the artist. Scholarly. I found this a good "read", in the sense that there was enough of the gossip, background, and talent that went into making Callas what she was, a household word during the 50's and 60's.I also found there werer topics in the diva's life that I found nowhere else in the 20, or so, other books I have on Maria Callas. Of particular interest was the chapter on the concerts she did during the period of her break with the Metropolitan Opera. I have read better books on Maria Callas, but I found myself enjoyijng this very much as I would a delicious, and honest, hamburger, as compared to an overdone gourmet meal.