Refer to Specific Music Examples That You Have Studied in Book 1 Chapter 6 to Support Your

What is your understanding of the term ‘diva’ and how does it apply to both Maria Callas and Madonna?

Refer to specific music examples that you have studied in Book 1 Chapter 6 to support your answer.

1. What is your view of a diva?
2. Is Madonna a diva in your view? In terms of her music? Other?
3. Repeat with Callas.

DIVAs Discussion

Do you think she is a diva? Or does she have the potential to be a diva?

Subo timeline.

1990s-2007 – sings in pubs and community centres. The people of Blackburn believe she has a wonderful voice. Her local is always packed on karaoke night, when it is known that she will be performing. Everyone remarks on her talents. She hires a singing coach.

During this time, many of her family and friends die in tragic circumstances.

At this point, is she a diva?

2008. Appears on Britain’s got Talent. Wows everyone watching including Simon Cowell.

2009. Releases her first CD. Sells over a million copies in 6 weeks. 4 more CDs and world tours follow.

2012. On tour, she discloses that she will not go on stage without having had a cup of her favourite Irish tea.

A diva? Why? Why not?

Key question

So what in your view is a diva? Is being a diva about musical ability alone? Or other?

Is it straightforward or ambiguous? Are these lot divas? If so, why do you think so (or not)? Does being a diva require something more than a good voice or technical ability? Can only an opera singer be a diva?

Mario Balotelli

Madge O'Sullivan

Put a tick next to the qualities you think a diva should have; a cross next to ones you think are irrelevant or wrong

Perfect Vocal RangeTechnically gifted

FemaleMaleA singer

FamousPowerfulFragile

ContradictoryCharismaticEngaging

Emotionalconnection with audience

ManipulativeWealthy

TragicSelf-absorbedEnigmatic

TempestuousQuirkyUnique

FamousControl over image in the media

SpecialLoved by audience

Madonna

1. General discussion. Do you consider her a diva? If so, why?

1. Musical ability 1 – ‘Material Girl’. How would you describe her voice? If her career had peaked with this hit record, would she be considered a diva?

1. Musical ability 2 – ‘Papa Don’t Preach’. What’s your opinion about the statement below?

It isn’t Madonna’s singing/musical ability which has made her a diva but the way that she relates to and is loved by her fans.

How could ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ support this? Helps if you know something about the intended audience and understand the lyrics!

Papa I know you're going to be upset
'Cause I was always your little girl
But you should know by now
I'm not a baby

You always taught me right from wrong
I need your help, daddy please be strong
I may be young at heart
But I know what I'm saying

The one you warned me all about
The one you said I could do without
We're in an awful mess
And I don't mean maybe, please

Papa don't preach I'm in trouble deep
Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, hm
I'm gonna keep my baby, hm

1. Listen to ‘Like a Prayer’. How would you describe her vocal abilities? Has her singing ability advanced from ‘Material Girl’?

Do you agree with the following argument?

Madonna is considered a diva in spite of her vocal or singing abilities; even though her voice had improved, ‘Like a Prayer’ was only well received because of MTV.

Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home

When you call my name it's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know I'll take you there

I hear your voice
It's like an angel sighing
I have no choice, I hear your voice
Feels like flying

1. What insight does the following report give us into Madonna? Does it suggest to you that Madonna’s ‘divadom’ is not based on musical ability? It refers to the filming of one of her videos.

Moments later, with a real lion by her side, she stalked through the courtyard of a magnificent Italian palazzo. But as the director yelled, ‘Cut!’,the singer’s face turned puce.In a split second, her sensuality was replaced by ‘all-out rage’ as she launched into a screaming tirade at the filmcrew. ‘She was constantly screaming at them, telling them they were a ‘bunch of f****** idiots,’ recalls Ron Weisner, her long-suffering manager at the time.

For several turbulent days on location in Venice, Italy, in 1984 it was, recalls Weisner, ‘like a fury had been unleashed’.

‘When I bitched back at her she retaliated by banning me from the set for the day.’

Read more:

Maria Callas

What do you know of Maria Callas? Did she have any of your chosen diva qualities? Which ones? Are these musical (singing) or otherwise?

Why is Maria Callas believed to be a diva?

A: Emotional resonance: ability to act out the words and wow the audience.

Example (not in ‘Reputations’)

1. La Traviata plot….
2. Listen to the beginning of the aria. What do you think of the way she sang ‘Alone in the crowd’? Why would this ‘vocal trick’ help her reputation as a diva?

Ah, fors'e' lui che l'anima
Solinga ne' tumulti
Godea sovente pingere
De' suoi colori occulti!
Lui che modesto e vigile
All'egre soglie ascese,
E nuova febbre accese,
Destandomi all'amor.
A quell'amor ch'e' palpito
Dell'universo intero,
Misterioso, altero,
Croce e delizia al cor.
Ripresa (usually cut):
A me fanciulla, un candido
E trepido desire
Questi effigio' dolcissimo
Signor dell'avvenire,
Quando ne' cieli il raggio
Di sua belta' vedea,
E tutta me pascea
Di quel divino error.
Senti'a che amore e' palpito
Dell'universo intero,
Misterioso, altero,
Croce e delizia al cor!
(Resta concentrata un istante, poi dice):
/ Was this the man my heart,
Alone in the crowd,
Delighted many times to paint
In vague, mysterious colours?
This man, so watchful yet retiring,
Who haunted my sick?bed
And turned my fever
Into the burning flame of love!
That love,
The pulse of the whole world,
Mysterious, unattainable,
The torment and delight of my heart.
It's madness! It's empty delirium!
A poor, lonely woman
Abandoned in this teeming desert
They call Paris!
What can I hope? What should I do?
Enjoy myself! Plurge into the vortex
Of pleasure and drown there!
Enjoy myself!
Free and aimless I must flutter
From pleasure to pleasure,
Skimming the surface
Of life's primrose path.
As each day dawns,
As each day dies,
Gaily I turn to the new delights
That make my spirit soar.

How to approach using music as evidence.

Point to make / Explanation / Evidence from review/audio track
Fragility/imperfection – audience adoration / This is a diva quality: emotional connection to audience / Reference

Example and advice

The best advice is to have a clear idea about the diva qualities you have noticed in the review. Listen to the CD or MP3 and pause it when you come to something which matches up with what the reviewer is saying. E.g. Callas struggling to obtain a note, the sheer power of her singing voice, if you get a tingling, emotional engagement. Make a note of when this is e.g. at 45 seconds. And put this in your own words. I will not be penalising anyone for not using the correct technical terms but if you say something about pitch, timbre etc you will be rewarded. You don't need to go into detail. Just make sure that you tie in what you are saying about the review in with the music. E.g. the reviewer says that..... whatever it is, that's a typical diva quality, and you can hear this on the track at 45 seconds, she is struggling to find a high note.

Other qualities that do not necessarily relate to singing/musical ability: do you think any of these helped her to become a diva?

1923Born of Greek parents in New York (family name Kalogeropoulou).

1937Moves to Greece with her mother and sister, after her parents have separated.

1938Enrols at the National Conservatory in Athens at age fifteen (the normal minimum age for entry is sixteen).

1941 Professional opera debut in Athens.

1942 Sings Puccini’s Tosca for the first time, in Athens.

1945 Returns to New York, but fails an audition to the Metropolitan Opera.

1947–9Sings various roles in Italy, culminating in a ‘stunning’ performance in 1949 in Bellini’s I Puritani at La Fenice Theatre, Venice, standing in for the part at short notice. This makes her name.

1949Marries Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a wealthy Italian industrialist and opera lover.

1951–8A run of triumphant appearances at La Scala, Milan. 1952 Signs recording contract with EMI.

1953Series of complete opera recordings begins, including Bellini’s I Puritani and Puccini’s Tosca.

1954Loses 30 kilos in weight.

1956First appearance at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in Bellini’s Norma and Puccini’s Tosca.

1957Meets Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate, at a party in Venice.

1959Callas and Meneghini split up, and Callas stops regular stage appearances to spend her time with Onassis.

1964–5Further performances of Tosca at Covent Garden, London, and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Retires from the operatic stage because of ill health.

1968Onassis marries Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of the assassinated US president John F. Kennedy.

1969–77Occasional masterclasses, a ‘farewell’ recital tour with tenor Giovanni di Stefano.

Dies alone in her apartment in Paris, 16 September 1977.

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