by Norman Beaupré (Author)
Another book on Maria Callas? Yes, but this one delivers an inside view of the Diva's apartment in Paris and covers the last several months of her life. How is this done if she was a recluse and avoided the public? It's done through the skill and creative imagination of a young man, originally from northern Maine, who goes from Boston to New York and on to Paris seeking those special conversations with the famous opera star known all over the world as the diva, then the Divina. How does he do that? Through the palate and the stomach, much like in Tom Jones and Babette's Feast, through food and several ethnic recipes, such as Greek, French and Italian - a sensuous approach to the opening up of much sought after t te- -t tes with la Callas. Norman Beaupr has brought to this work a true sense of verisimilitude, a feeling that the story could have happened, since it is based on many facts about Maria Callas' life. Her words and feelings about conductors, composers, roles and various operas are caught with a sense of true insights and plausible answers to our questions. Much effort was put into this novel in order to capture the essence of the elegance and excellence of Maria Callas' voice, the most celebrated voice of the 20th Century.