In the 21st Century, Callas has taken the form of a hologram on tour (though it’s unlikely that the real-life perfectionist star would have approved of the glitchy tech), and been portrayed by actresses including Fanny Ardant (in Zeffirelli’s 2002 biopic Callas Forever) and Angelina Jolie (set to star in Pablo Larraín’s upcoming film Maria). Her exacting standards underpinned a high-maintenance reputation; she also made no secret of her impoverished upbringing or early career. “Be careful when you say ‘ghetto’… music comes from there,” she told French journalist Philippe Caloni in her final interview (1977). “I’ve almost never seen a great musician who had an upper-class Diva background. There’s something good about ghettos because if you come from there, it makes you want more. It makes you say, ‘One day I’ll be someone’.” If you’re not running to call a man a diva, then why are you calling a woman one for similar behaviours?
“She worked so hard, she made herself Maria Callas – she made herself the greatest diva,” Stella Kourmapana, archivist at the Athens Conservatoire, explains in Maria Callas, part of the BBC series Take Me to The Opera. Bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel is one of the most distinguished opera singers of our age. In a world where women are routinely placed into categories, often with negative connotations, like ‘whore’, ‘virgin’, ‘slut’, ‘hormonal, ‘hysterical’, etc, ‘diva’ is just another example that only serves to lazily reduce a woman to nothing more than a mere concept of a person. At what point are people jumping to use the term diva in place of ‘a woman with boundaries’? Old Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe have been dubbed ‘divas’, but this term fails to harness any nuance.

Heckmann Audio – u-he Diva v1.4.7 WIN/MAC VST, VST3, AAX, CLAP, AU x86 x64 22.10.2023

For many people, especially during this golden age, seeing a woman act determinedly to achieve success was startling and, quite frankly, enough to earn them the diva label. While this is certainly the case for many stars (of all genders) who let fame get to their heads and then lash out at those they consider beneath them, it can’t be denied that many women are called divas when, really, they just know what they want, won’t be bossed around by others, and have the courage to go after their goals. In other cases, anxiety and insecurity can be misconstrued as diva behaviour, such as turning down signing autographs or being reluctant to do interviews. A female singer or performer who is talented, confident, and demanding.”The diva demanded that her dressing room be filled with only white flowers.” The image of Callas as an archetypal diva, and the notion that the goddess-star should suffer for her art, is loaded; there is no equivalent that positions a male divo on quite the same pedestal, or exposes them to the same judgements.

Derivation and terminology

The diva gracefully glided across the stage, effortlessly commanding the spotlight.9. Fans eagerly awaited the diva’s next release, eagerly anticipating her musical genius.10. The diva’s temperamental nature often made headlines, adding to her mystique.11. The diva’s diva, she demanded a separate dressing room and specific food requests.12. The diva’s vocal range was unmatched, hitting high notes with ease and precision.13.

• “Be careful when you say ‘ghetto’… music comes from there,” she told French journalist Philippe Caloni in her final interview (1977).
• The diva’s glamorous lifestyle was the envy of many, with private jets and luxurious vacations.8.
• The diva gracefully glided across the stage, effortlessly commanding the spotlight.9.
• Despite her diva status, the singer remained humble, always grateful for her success.
• Opera lover Zeinab Badawi travels to Paris to meet the acclaimed conductor and music director Gustavo Dudamel.
• The diva’s extravagant wardrobe was filled with designer gowns and sparkling jewelry.6.
• “Perhaps Maria Callas, beyond her genius as a musicienne assoluta, so timeless and perpetually modern in the sensory impact it has on the listener, continues to fascinate because she actually has no true descendants.”

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The diva’s performance at the award ceremony left the audience spellbound, reaffirming her status as a true star.14. Despite her diva status, the singer remained humble, always grateful for her success. The renowned opera diva captivated the audience with her breathtaking performance.2.

Pop-up opera surprises customers in cafes and pubs

• At what point are people jumping to use the term diva in place of ‘a woman with boundaries’?
• If you’re not running to call a man a diva, then why are you calling a woman one for similar behaviours?
• While Garbo’s reclusiveness might have been perceived by many as snobbish, and her arguments with MGM executives deemed unprofessional, we cannot truly know the reasons behind her actions.
• The pop diva’s album soared to the top of the charts within days of its release.4.
• She was also beamed to prime-time TV audiences, such as her 1956 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show,where she sang Vissi d’arte (I lived for art), an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s 1899 opera Tosca.

It is derived from the Italian word ‘diva,’ which means ‘goddess’ or ‘female deity.’ In the world of opera, the term ‘diva’ was historically used to refer to the leading female singer, often the soprano, who typically portrayed the central female character, often a heroine or a mythological figure. These women were considered the stars of the show, possessing exceptional talent, confidence, and sometimes demanding personalities. Over time, the term ‘diva’ has broadened to describe not only talented female singers and performers but also individuals, regardless of their profession, who exhibit qualities of exceptional talent, confidence, and occasionally a degree of assertiveness or high expectations. Thus, the etymology of ‘diva’ highlights its historical association with female deities and the elevated status and exceptional qualities attributed to female performers, as conveyed by its linguistic heritage.

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Level up work, life, and creativity with world-class online courses from the world’s greatest teachers. Opera lover Zeinab Badawi travels to Paris to meet the acclaimed conductor and music director Gustavo Dudamel. Zeinab Badawi heads to Athens to celebrate the centenary of the birth of opera soprano Maria Callas. If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can’t-miss news delivered to your inbox every Friday.

More from Merriam-Webster on diva

Yet Callas did arguably channel real-life trauma and conflict into her musical delivery, and seemed bound by the notion of “destiny”. In Beyoncé’s song ‘Diva’, she tells us that a “diva is a female version of a hustler”. Certainly, when men work hard – even if that means neglecting their families or lashing out at crew members for not understanding their creative visions, for example – they rarely get criticised in the same way.