# New Book - Maria Callas In Chicago 1954 - 1974 by Karl van Zoggel



## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Just received today. Comments and first look below. The book has 261 pages, including index, and is approximately 175mm x 245 mm.

"Maria Callas In Chicago 1954-1974" has a run of only 60 copies, exclusive to members of The Maria Callas International Club.








Here we see Maria Meneghini Callas as Cio-cio-san in *Madama Butterly*








Callas was in her blonde period and we see her variously in costume as (top left & right): *Lucia di Lammermoor*; center row as *Norma*; bottom row (left) as Elvira in *I Puritani *and (right)as Leonora in *Il Trovatore *

_The front and back covers of the book_


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

*First Impressions*
As with most publications and articles of The Maria Callas International Club, Maria Callas In Chicago 1954 - 1974 is exhaustively complete, that is, it covers _all_ of Callas visits to Chicago or Callas connections to Chicago, starting with the cancelled performance of *Turandot* in 1947, pre-Big Career, to the final 1974 tour, covering everything in between, concerts, and legal troubles (the infamous Bagarozy case).

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The Table of Contents

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Début performance of *Norma*

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In rehearsals for *La Traviata *


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

When I first heard of the book, I was anxious to see the photos that I thought the Lyric Opera Of Chicago had, given they had first access to Callas in all her glory in a fabled first season. They had copious photos, true, but they are all B&W and most are muddy. Nevertheless there are many many that I have not seen before and are invaluable for that alone.

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Autographed photo of program and publicity photo for *Madama Butterfly* 1955

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Cinematic montage of a performance of *Madama Butterfly* with di Stefano and others


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

More photos from the book

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Callas in *Il Trovatore *

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Callas in *Madama Butterfly* with di Stefano

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Program and photo of Callas in *I Puritani*

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Legal troubles, the Bagarozi case, letter to lawyers (in Italian)

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Publicity for a concert to benefit the Alliance Française


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

While most of the photos and illustrations are referenced on pp.252-256, it would've been useful to have all of the photos captioned _in situ_. Alas, I've never put a book together, so I may be doing the author an injustice in complaining, so I apologize in advance (!).








At the Covenant Club of Illinois with Mrs. Samuel J. Baskin (?) with Callas and di Stefano
and program for *Madama Butterfly*, 1955








Callas and di Stefano at the "Angel Ball," Conrad Hilton Hotel with Mrs. Harper Richards (?) 
31 October 1955. Program for *Il Trovatore*








Program for *Lucia di Lammermoor* with autographs








The many pages detailing the Bagarozy case starts on pg 71


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

One of the most fascinating things in Maria Callas In Chicago 1954-1972 are the documents, letters about Callas's seasons at the "Lyric Theater of Chicago", as they styled themselves. One of the most surprising things was the mention of a telecast of *Lucia di Lammermoor* to take place on October 28, 1955, _before_ the second season began. Unfortunately, it never happened, for reasons unknown. But it makes for absorbing reading (at least to me).


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The beginning of the end: Rudolf Bing, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera lures Callas away and seals it with a kiss.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I hadn't know Chicago saw the first appearance of the famous blue *Traviata * gown!

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Otherwise shown around the world!

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## Andante Cantabile (Feb 26, 2020)

Glad to know you have received your printed copy 

The current international shipping fee is expensive because of flight restrictions due to Covid and rising fuel prices and it even costs more than the book. Besides, Karl admitted that the pictures and text come out more clearly and sharply in the digital version. Therefore in the end I chose to give up on getting the printed copy as well. 

Meanwhile, it seems that the pictures you attached in posts #2, #3, #4 and the first one in #8 cannot be seen - size too much for this site to handle perhaps?


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## Andante Cantabile (Feb 26, 2020)

MAS said:


> I hadn't know Chicago saw the first appearance of the famous blue *Traviata * gown!
> 
> View attachment 160584
> 
> ...


Callas got Madame Biki to design this gown for her in 1954 after her weight loss. It indeed made its first appearance in the 1954 Chicago _Traviata_. The first picture (I think I know what it is despite it not showing here) is not really new by now. It appeared in the first publication of Karl's article on Callas in Chicago in the Maria Callas Magazine no. 54 (July 2008) and has been circulating on the social media since then.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Andante Cantabile said:


> Glad to know you have received your printed copy
> 
> The current international shipping fee is expensive because of flight restrictions due to Covid and rising fuel prices and it even costs more than the book. Besides, Karl admitted that the pictures and text come out more clearly and sharply in the digital version. Therefore in the end I chose to give up on getting the printed copy as well.
> 
> Meanwhile, it seems that the pictures you attached in posts #2, #3, #4 and the first one in #8 cannot be seen - size too much for this site to handle perhaps?


I took all of the photos myself, and can't imagine why most of them don't show or why the ones that do show show- I asked one of the administrators for help.


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