 
                
                        Maria Callas and the power of singing
Maria Callas is the inspiration for a programme including readings from Joyce, Austen, Langston Hughes and MR James with music by Puccini, Debussy and Verdi.
La Divina, as the American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas was dubbed, is now the subject of a biographical film starring Angelina Jolie, which is hotly tipped for film awards. Today's Words and Music is threaded through with performances of Callas as we celebrate singing with excerpts from operas by Verdi, Puccini and Tosca alongside songs performed by Lisa O'Neil, Andreas Scholl and William Warfield. We'll hear Maria Callas herself talking about the sense of duty that came with her attitude to singing, and how she felt about those she described as her 'enemies'; plus passages from the biography of her written by Lyndsy Spence - Cast a Diva: The Hidden Life of Maria Callas. Our readers are Clarke Peters and Anastasia Hille.
Producer: Georgia Mann
READINGS:
I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman
Everyone Sang by Siegfried Sassoon
The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
Extract from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Extract from Number 13 by M.R James
Extract from The Odyssey by ѿýr, translated by E.V Rieu 
Extract from Sailing to Byzantium by William Butler Yeats
Extracts from Casta Diva: The hidden Life of Maria Callas by Lyndsy Spence
The Fair Singer by Andrew Marvell
Extract from The Dubliners by James Joyce
In the House of the Voice of Maria Callas by Steven Orlen
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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    ![]() 00:01 00:01Giacomo PucciniTosca - Act 2; Vissi d'arte [Tosca] Performer: Maria Callas.- EMI CDC7493932.
 
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    ![]() 00:04 00:04Tessa LarkAppalachian Fantasy Performer: Tessa Lark.- FHR FHR 86.
 
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    Walt WhitmanI Hear America Singing read by Clarke Peters ![]() 00:07 00:07Aaron CoplandOld American Songs, Set 2: Ching-a-ring-Chaw Singer: William Warfield. Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Aaron Copland.- Sony G010002019391C.
 Siegfried SassoonEveryone Sang ![]() 00:09 00:09Johann Sebastian BachSinget dem Herrn ein neues Lied - motet BWV.225 Choir: Collegium Vocale Gent. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.- Phi LPH002.
 ![]() 00:13 00:13Erroll GarnerErroll's Blues Performer: Joanna MacGregor.- Collins Classics 12992.
 Langston HughesThe Weary Blues read by Clarke Peters ![]() 00:17 00:17Joseph HaydnTrio in A major H.15.18 for keyboard and strings: 3rd mvt; Allegro Performer: Trio Wanderer.- Fuga 902321DI.
 Jane AustenExtract from Pride and Prejudice read by Antasia Hille ![]() 00:19 00:19Wolfgang Amadeus MozartDie Zauberflote (K.620), Act 2, no.14; Der Holle Rache kocht [Queen of Night] Singer: Florence Foster Jenkins. Performer: Cosmé McMoon.- RCA GD61175.
 ![]() 00:20 00:20Kalevi AhoConcerto (Acht Jahreszeiten) for theremin and chamber orch: VIII Mitternachtsson Performer: Carolina Eyck. Orchestra: Lapin kamariorkesteri. Conductor: John Storgårds.- BIS 7318599920368.
 M.R JamesExtract from Number 13 read by Anastasia Hille ![]() 00:23 00:23Lanterns on the LakeDon’t Have Nightmares Performer: Lanterns on the Lake.- Bella Union.
 ![]() 00:26 00:26Claude DebussyNocturnes for orchestra, no.3; Sirenes Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.- DG 4398962.
 ѿýr transl. by E.V RieuExtract from The Odyssey read by Anastasia Hille ![]() 00:26 00:26Claude DebussySirenes (Nocturnes) Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.YeatsExtract from Sailing to Byzantium read by Clarke Peters ![]() 00:31 00:31AnonByzantine Hymn of the Nativity Performer: Nader Hajjar.- Byzantune.
 ![]() 00:37 00:37Gioachino Rossini'Una Voce poco fa' from Il Barbiere di Siviglia Singer: Maria Callas. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Alceo Galliera.- EMI 724355750-2.
 Lyndsy Spence: Extract from Casta Diva: The hidden life of Maria Callas read by Anastasia Hille ![]() 00:43 00:43Sylvius Leopold WeissSonata in A major for lute: Ciacona Performer: Jakob Lindberg.- BIS 2265.
 Andrew MarvellThe Fair Singer read by Clarke Peters ![]() 00:48 00:48Jocelyn PookThe Merchant of Venice - music for the film: How sweet the moonlight Singer: Andreas Scholl. Ensemble: Baroque String Quartet. Performer: Harvey Brough. Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Performer: Siobhán Armstrong.- Decca 4756367.
 ![]() 00:52 00:52Simon FraserMairi Bhan Og: Mary Young & Fair Performer: Jordi Savall. Performer: Andrew Lawrence‐King.- Alia Vox 884385585150.
 James JoyceExtract from The Dubliners read by Anastasia Hille ![]() 00:57 00:57հäThe Lass of Aughrim Performer: Lisa O’Neill.- River Lea RLR001LP.
 Lyndsy SpenceExtract from Casta Diva: The hidden life of Maria Callas read by Anastasia Hille ![]() 01:00 01:00Giuseppe VerdiCaro Nome (Rigoletto) Performer: Maria Callas. Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Choir: Chorus of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Tullio Serafin.- EMI CDCALLAS1.
 ![]() 01:07 01:07Vincenzo BelliniCasta Diva (Norma) transc. for piano Performer: Vanessa Benelli Mosell.- Decca 4855290.
 ![]() 01:07 01:07Vincenzo BelliniCasta Diva (Norma) Performer: Vanessa Benelli Mosell.Steven OrlenIn the House of the Voice of Maria Calla read by Clarke Peters ![]() 01:10 01:10Vincenzo BelliniCasta Diva from Norma Singer: Maria Callas. Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Choir: Chorus of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Tullio Serafin.- EMI 5570622.
 Broadcasts- Sun 26 Nov 2023 17:30ѿý Radio 3
- Boxing Day 2024 18:15ѿý Radio 3
 
 
            