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By Ernest Kearney — Maria Callas (1923-1977) left an indelible mark as one of the most gifted and influential opera singers of the 20th century if not “the most.” To pen and perform in a one-woman show based on Callas’ life would be a formidable challenge to any actress. To step forth and try to match Callas’ singing is chutzpa bordering on self-immolation.
So it is to Shelley Cooper’s credit that she does so in La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas and emerges without the slightest singe.
This is partly due Cooper wisely choosing to perform Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro” and Bizet’s “Habanera” from Carmen, “light” arias, and not going head-to-head, or throat-to-throat with La Divina (“The Divine One”) on a far more problematic piece such as “È morto” from Puccini’s Tosca.
Contributing to Cooper being able to pull off her vocal homage to Callas is the fact that she has a pretty impressive set of pipes herself and manages to quiver the walls of the Hudson Theatre, and probably a good portion of Santa Monica Boulevard, quite nicely with her singing.
Callas, in comparing herself with other sopranos, referred to her voice as “Champagne” and theirs as “Coca Cola.”
Cooper’s singing is definitely not a carbonated beverage.
Framed within the conceit of a televised interview, Cooper touches on Callas’ teen years during the Nazi occupation of her native Greece, her toxic relationship with her mother and her tempestuous involvement with Aristotle Onassis which begs for an operatic treatment suitable to the #metoo age.
But the problem is that Cooper only “touches” on the grief of Callas’ life.
Why Callas was La Divina was not her voice, which it is acknowledged suffered damage in the late 40’s, but that Callas, in her greatest roles, sang not the operas but her own pain.
Cooper recognizes and understands this, and at the beginning of her performance as Callas admits, “Only when I sing I feel loved.”
No operatic libretto ever voiced such a heart-breaking admission.
However, Cooper’s performance assisted by Director Mariangela Chatzistamatiou whose talents share the stage with her, manages to engage her audience superbly and for that earns the 2021 Hollywood Fringe’s first Gold Medal.
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La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas
plays:
Friday August 13 2021, 8:30 PM
Thursday August 19 2021, 8:30 PM
Sunday, August 22 2021, 2:30 PM
at
Hudson Theatres
6539 Santa Monica Boulevard
For Tickets and Additional Information: http://hff21.co/7153
Learn More at shelley-cooper.com/la-divina
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