Question 1

True or false: Callas was married to Aristotle Onassis for over a decade before his death.

Accepted Answer

False. She had a famous affair with Onassis, but he never married her; he married Jackie Kennedy instead.

Question 2

True or false: Callas famously never performed at La Scala in Milan.

Accepted Answer

False. She debuted at La Scala in 1950 and became a legendary figure there, performing many iconic roles.

Question 3

True or false: Maria Callas was born in New York City to Greek immigrant parents.

Accepted Answer

True. She was born in Manhattan in 1923 to Greek parents, though she later moved to Greece for training.

Question 4

True or false: Maria Callas made her debut as Tosca at the age of 18 in Athens.

Accepted Answer

True. She sang Tosca at the Greek National Opera in August 1942, at age 18, while still a student, marking her first major role and demonstrating her early dramatic talent.

Question 5

True or false: Callas recorded an entire album of Elvis Presley covers in the 1960s.

Accepted Answer

False. No such album exists; Callas was strictly an opera singer and never recorded popular music.

Question 6

True or false: Maria Callas's dramatic weight loss in the 1950s is often cited as a possible cause of her subsequent vocal decline.

Accepted Answer

True. Maria Callas lost over 80 pounds, and many experts believe the drastic change affected her vocal stamina and control.

Question 7

True or false: Maria Callas studied at the Athens Conservatory under the renowned soprano Elvira de Hidalgo.

Accepted Answer

True. De Hidalgo was her mentor in Athens, refining her technique and launching her professional career.

Question 8

True or false: Maria Callas once canceled a performance because a fly landed on her costume.

Accepted Answer

False. This is a myth; Callas was perfectionist but no such incident is documented—she canceled due to illness or disputes.

Maria Callas Trivia Questions