MARIA CALLAS : WE REVISIT THE GREATEST OPERA SINGER - DIVA and MISTRESS OF SHIPPING MAGNATE ARI ONASSIS

Mistress Manifesto, as a Google Blog, began in 2009 and, before I got up to speed, I chose Maria Callas as my Mistress of the Month. These days I feel that this dynamic woman deserves more and better coverage, especially as actress Angelina Jolie chose to portray her in film. So I will repost a couple items from the past and continue on with the book Cast a Diva by Lyndsy Spence, which will be the primary references for this month's posts.

Maria Callas was a famous and esteemed opera singer, some say the greatest, called The Queen of the Opera during her career, who had a soprano voice and three octave range; She is also known for her dramatic vocal interpretations. She was  born in the United States as an American to Greek immigrant parents but thought of as Greek because of her heritage and because the she went back to Greece with her mother and sister as a pubescent teen and there began her voice training. (Eventually she would give up her American citizenship and become a Greek citizen again while desperate for a divorce.) As a teen, she had entered talent contests and appeared on amateur hours, was made to lie about her age, and borrowed records from the library to imitate other opera singers.

Beyond a stellar career, Maria Callas is known as the Mistress of the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, a reportedly fiery relationship. Did she want to marry Ari? I've always heard that to be true and it's something we will certainly explore. Onassis was married, divorced, and went on to marry the ultimate prize perhaps, the widow Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, wife of the assassinated United States President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, though they divorced famously as well. Maria had also been married, to an older man who took advantage of her and had been divorced. Maria was Onassis' mistress before and, other books have stated, during his marriage with Jackie. 

Cast a Diva - The Hidden Life of Maria Callas by Lyndsy Spence, is not the first book I found interesting by author Spence. She also wrote a book about Doris Delevingne called The Mistress of Mayfair, which I reference here when I elected Doris to be Mistress of the Month in August of 2018. This month however, I will be posting based on chapters as I'm listening to the audiobook while also taking notes. Cast a Diva is reviewed on various book sites on the Internet as presenting Callas as a feminist icon; wonder if I will agree with that notion? That said, Maria Callas has also been associated with tragedy - personally and publicly.

Image from Wikimedia

I think Maria Callas was distinctively beautiful.

MARIA CALLAS

Maria Cecelia Sophia Anna Kalogeropoulos

1923 (New York) - 1977 (Paris)

The early years of the life of Maria Callas were not easy or simple and had a profound effect on her psychology. Her parents were Greek immigrants to New York City in 1923. Maria's pharmacist father had career difficulties as an immigrant and her parents did not get along. It's suggested that her father was a womanizer or that her mother, "Litsa" thought herself and her family to be above his in status. Maria's mother decided that her two daughters were essential to her survival and the three of them went back to Greece in 1937, basically ditching her husband and their father. So Maria had little to no parenting by her father from that point. Her husband, Giovanni Battista Memeghini was an older man, and so was Aristotle Onassis. I can't help but wonder if she was vulnerable to older men because her father was so distant.

Maria's mother was emotionally abusive to her and there were serious questions about her mental health with suggestions that she was unstable, a narcissist, had borderline personality disorder or even schizophrenia. A brother had died and her mother wanted another son so Maria was an unwanted daughter. Maria had an older sister, Yakinthi, and their mother forced the girl into a relationship with a man, to become a Mistress to someone who would not only Keep her but financially help the whole family. This man supported all three of them for some time. This sacrifice on her sister's part also lead to a tangled and difficult relationship between Maria and her sister. With career success, Maria Callas found herself supporting her mother, and contributing to the support of her father and sister as well. They cared little for her personal happiness.

It could be said also that Maria's mother believed in her and promoted her as a child and had the ambition that Maria would someday support them all and free her sister from a dutiful pairing. Mother recognized that her daughter, Maria, had exceptional singing talent. Her mother begged for singing lessons for Maria, demanded she give her all to practice, and she allowed Maria to go without any education past about the eighth grade. No doubt in my mind is that this lack of education and constant focus on vocal training instead of academics was part of the deep insecurity Maria felt. In 1939 Maria Callas began to study at the Athens Conservatory and the perfectionist Maria had a fabulous career for some time.

Perhaps though, it was Maria's weight, along with the fraught relationships she had with her mother and sister, that caused the Opera Diva even more emotional issues as a young woman. The Diva was self-conscious of her myopia and acne, and it's said that she only felt loved while singing. Yet, Maria tapped into her wild range of emotions and feelings as an opera singer, and was unafraid of having an "ugly" voice if it was appropriate for the mood of a song. It was her ability to interpret the drama of a scene that, along with her exceptional voice, brought the audiences to tears and ovations. She said she wanted her voice to reflect "the atmosphere and thousands of colors."

Maria Callas married a rich industrialist, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, and was married for a decade from 1949-1959 to this husband who acted as her agent and manager. The Italian divorce laws at the time would make it near impossible for her to escape this marriage and this man's machinations. Like her family, in particular her mother, he proved to be only interested in her career and the fame and money that could buy them a good life.

There was Maria and then there was Callas, a private woman and a celebrity. She disagreed with feminism and the end of gender roles. "I failed to fulfill myself as a woman" she said, referring to her desire to have a child never fulfilled. 

During this month, I will not focus on the details of Maria Callas' opera career, though I realize that many a opera fan or Maria Callas fan is interested in those details. I assure you that the book does follow her career closely. For our purposes here, we want to focus on her relationships with men, and how it is that she chose to remain faithful to the unfaithful Aristotle Onassis. How is it that she was considered his mistress?  Was it simply because he would not marry her?  Because she clearly could support herself well but he was richer? Was it his attitudes towards women in general, which most modern women would find to be revolting? Her relationship with Aristotle Onassis, whom she called "Aristo" was an extreme example of emotional and psychological abuse and domestic violence. Years went on in which an Italian divorce was not granted. Both Aristo and Maria at times lied to the press that they would marry and then claimed they were joking.

Maria Callas died at the age of fifty-three after a life typified by the highest highs and lowest lows. It's quite possible that using a certain drug illegally - though is some parts of the world it was legal - meant a slow suicide. She had withdrawn into her apartment, was estranged from her family and husband, and after her death her mother, sister, and husband would split her clothing and furniture among themselves.

Stick with me as we learn together about the life of this stellar personality and talent, through the vision of author Lyndsy Spence!

C 2024 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot   All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights.

You may find other posts by searching for Onassis in the Google Blogger search feature!

1939 PAINTING OF DORIS DELEVINGNE VALUED AT HALF A MILLION POUNDS

About two years ago it was revealed that a painting of Doris Delevingne was up for auction at Christies,  Called THE VISCOUNTESS CASTLEROSSE, PALM SPRINGS by Sir John Lavery, painted in 1938 and valued at 400,000 - 600,000 pounds, it pictures the woman sitting on a diving board showing off her famous legs.  (That's right, the price of a house.) Included in this article is a photo of Doris on a ship headed for Los Angeles and another of her in a mermaid evening gown.

I believe Doris was tired of the life she had lead but knew nothing else and was in despair when she overdosed on sleeping pills at age 42 but I do think that by that age, with the younger generation coming up, she may have been too notorious to ever expect another marriage.

TATLER : PORTRAIT OF VISCOUNTESS CASTLEROSSE

DORIS DELEVINGNE, VISCOUNTESS CASTLEROSSE HAS RANDOLPH CHURCHILL and WINSTON TOO?

From the article by Lyndsy Spence

...  Randolph, too fell under her spell and they began an affair. ‘I hear you’re living with my wife,’ Castlerosse bellowed down the telephone not long after they were married. ‘Yes, I am,’ answered the younger Churchill, ‘which is more than you have the courtesy to do.’ 

It appears that there is some evidence that Winston was not just having Doris come over to sit while he painted her.

THE GUARDIAN : SECRET AFFAIR - WINSTON CHURCHILL and DORIS DELEVINGNE  Good photos add to this article!  A documentary in 2018 included the information that yes, Churchill had succumbed and had an affair with Doris.

EXCERPT : Churchill spent four holidays with Castlerosse ... in the south of France during the 1930's when he was out of office.  During this time Churchill painted at least two portraits of his lover - he only ever painted one of his wife, Clementine 0 and they continued to meet at her home back in London. ... "My mother had many stories to tell about (the affair) when they stayed in my aunt's house in Berkeley Square," Doris's niece =, Caroline Delvingne, recalls in the Delevingne family's first televised interview about the affair.  "When Winston was coming to visit her, the staff were all given the day off. ... But when war threatened and Churchill's career revived, he ended the relationship.

According to this article, Doris went to America, New York, where she was not able to continue her lifestyle.  She was not that old, in 1942 when the War came, she was desperate to get back to England and is said to have used one of Churchill's paintings to remind him of their affair.  He arranged a rare seat on a plane to get her there.

Love letters that Doris wrote to Winston surfaced in the 1950's and were shown to Clementine.

C 2022 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot All Rights Reserved

DORIS DELEVINGNE BECOMES MRS. BROWNE - VISCOUNTESS CASTLEROSSE

 

Valentine Edward Charles Browne was not the heir apparent of an Irish earldom.  His brother was. But when his brother died, his parents had to consider the son who they thought not well of. They had never liked him or approved of him. They didn't even like the way he looked or that he showed no signs of physical elegance like they did. It must have been tough growing up with such disapproving parents.* When his brother died, the title was his to do with as he pleased and what he pleased. Valentine decided to work for a living as a Journalist.

'In those early days, Castlerosse and Doris were destined not to meet. While he frequented the Saint James nightclub in Mayfair, she slipped through the doors of the Four Hundred and Ambassador nightclubs with Gertie (the actress Gertrude Lawrence) and their louche set.'

Castlerosse had just gone through some romantic disasters and his confidence was low but he was not a target for a seductress like Doris - at first. Perhaps there was a before and after inheritance Valentine?

In 1928 Doris married this unattractive man, though she seemed to be the embodiment of a Gold Digger. She, at about age 28,  became Viscountess Castlerosse. The woman had exceeded the expectations of women born into the middle class as she had been and was now a titled member of the aristocracy. And though, yes, she had slept around, and yes, she had allowed some men to spend a lot of money to make her happy, she was still young, and the marriage might have given the impression that Doris had just been sleeping around in search of a good husband..

Now, I'll carry the story a little further with the help of very interesting website I found called THE MITFORD SOCIETY. I note that Doris' story varies a bit from one book or article to another, but  THE MITFORD SOCIETY : DORIS DELEVINGNE THE CONSTANT COURTESAN  is a blog that is created by Lyndsy Spence, the author of the book The Mistress of Mayfair! In this article, there is no mention of Doris having worked or having a business. She is portrayed as without guilt for numerous sexual liaisons but also strategically working her way up. (Never the less, I can say that I adore this blog and see that the author is much interested as I am.)

Valentine Edward Charles Browne, 6th Earl of Kenmare, Viscount Castlerosse from 1905 to 1941 was "Fat, nasty, and broke, though she cared little for is financial status, for she herself had become rich from the money she hoarded off her rich admirers, she set her sights on his title and his castle in County Kerry.... Quite tellingly, they married in secret, for Castlerosse was too afraid to tell his parents that his wife was a haberdasher's daughter from Beckenham. Still, marriage meant nothing to Doris and she peddled on with her seduction of rich men - her husband, after all, needed the money."  *** 

* My opinion

C 2022 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot All Rights Reserved

HOW DORIS DELEVINGNE GOT CALLED "THE GIRL WITH THE GLOVES" and OWNED SEVERAL HUNDRED PAIRS OF SHOES

 

As Doris Delevingne climbed socially to mingle with high society of the 1920's, she went about London town with her best friend and co-conspirator, an actress named Gertrude Lawrence and established a second hand evening gown business that catered to the needs of actresses and showgirls. There's a rumor that for a short time she tried out being a chorus girl herself, however it is thought that she was working more as a Hostess. There were underground clubs in London in those days and one of them was in Grafton Galleries, an art gallery by day and nightclub after dark. While partying there, Doris was always seen wearing opera gloves. These are the classic gloves that come up past one's elbow and are usually worn with sleeveless dresses. She wore white opera gloves. Or she wore black ones. (Many other colors were available.) And so when people saw her across the room they would identify her as "the girl who wore gloves." Gloves were required of the women who danced there, not on stage, but on the floor with patrons of the club.

Gertie's friends were considered to be "Cafe Society, ' a rarified social group composed of international socialites and aristocrats who were known to one another personally, or by reputation. She also wanted to rise in society.

Want to know more about the history of gloves? This VINTAGEDANCER.COM GLOVES site has an impressive story and pictures.

According to the book The Mistress of Mayfair, Mayfair being a part of London known to be posh, by Lyndsy Spence, Doris' first serious affair was with Stephen "Laddie" Sanford, a polo player worth 40 million pounds.  She went shopping with his largesse and bought 200 pairs of custom Italian shoes, wearing each pair no more than four times.  She bought silk stockings by the dozen and wore them only once. What did she do with all those "worn" shoes and stockings? She gave them to chorus girls who could not afford them.

Laddie was educated at Cambridge and was an American who had become famous for winning the 1923 Grand National, which is a National Hunt horse race held in Liverpool where horses leap over 30 fences.  he set up a house in London and Doris moved in, only to find that Edwina, Lady Mountbatten was competing to get Laddie. When Edwina won that bout, Doris moved on to Sir Edward MacKay Edgar, closer to 50 than her 20-something, he was also rich enough to buy anything he wanted, including his title.

It was after these temporary Mistress gigs that Doris met the man she would marry,

As for her jewelry collection that would eventually come from exclusive jewelers such as Cartier and Schiaparelli. Those she didn't give away like shoes and stockings.

C 2022 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot

DORIS DELEVINGNE : THE GIRL WITH THE BEAUTIFUL LEGS : VISCOUNTESS CASTLEROSSE : AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FOX

In August 2018 I profiled Doris Delevingne as one of the Mistresses of the Riviera and which used Mary Lovell's book as a primary reference. I'll be focusing on this unconventional woman more this month!  The surname Delevingne has origins in French Belgium but she was raised British.

DORIS DELEVINGNE

Jesse Doris Delevingne

Photo appeared in Turkish Media SonSoz

"The Girl With The Gloves"

1900 - 1942

Married Valentine Edward Charles Browne, Viscount Castlerosse in 1928

and became

Viscountess Castlerosse

Doris Delevingne was a woman born into a modest family without great riches but with aristocratic yearnings. Even elite women of her generation rarely were educated and were moved towards marriage rather than careers. She was not close to her parents and didn't come from a big warm family. Perhaps she realized that if she wanted to have an interesting life she would have to make it happen on her own. Unlike her mother, she was able to complete what would be considered to be grade school in the United States. However, as a young woman she defied expectations. She set up her own business in what was called "the rags trade," second hand, used clothing, a trade dominated by Jews. 

An actress named Gertrude Lawrence, reportedly rather crude, was her first inspiration. Together the friends worked on themselves, such as attempting to have a more pleasing voices, though they both used foul language, and dressing in the latest fashions. Associating with actresses and chorus girls, Doris's business focused on reselling evening dresses but she was ambitious for herself - especially for good jewels. Doris was forthright with her opinions and the men she was attracted to were attracted to her; rebels, playboys, the unconventional people. She was discreet about naming her lovers and became predatory towards men. Did she use contraception? Yes. (There was also an element of society that used doctor-provided abortion, not saying she did.) However, some of her liaisons became known - and one of them was the married Winston Churchill.

One of her first conquests was the then Prince of Wales, who threw parties at Saint James palace. She mingled with the aspect of British aristocracy called "the adulterous set." (Think swingers.) But she did not evade marriage entirely. Instead she married badly.  Her husband was no inspiration for faithfulness.

In my previous single post that focused on Doris as one of the Riviera set, this is what I said:

MISTRESS DORIS DELEVINGNE: THE MODEL WITH THE GOLDEN HAIR

In the summer of 1932, Maxine opened her villa for limited occupation. Located at the Golfe Juan between Antibes and Cannes, it would be open for the May to October season and rarely had more than 10 guests at a time but guests also brought their own staffs to stay.

Her best friend became Doris Delevingne, aka Doris Lady Castlerosse, who at 19 became a model, known for her gold hair. There was a saying about the sexual Doris that went, "An English Woman's castle is her bed."  Doris fell for an American Polo Player who had no title but was rich, Stephen "Laddie" Sanford.

As his mistress, Doris was set up in her own smart little Park Lane apartment where she was looked after, though Laddie started another affair years later with her neighbor there.  But when they split she got a good settlement!

Doris moved on and became the mistress of a Canadian financier who bought her a house in Mayfair, London. She had servants at the house and a chauffeur to drive her Rolls.

At 25, she was using the money she received as gifts from her lovers to make investments and also had a clothing business.  Doris also opened a hair salon in the Chaps Elysee, Paris.

Doris liked to go shopping in Italy and would return with hundreds of leather shoes because she wore her stockings once and a pair of shoes only 2 or 3 times. She'd give her once worn stockings away to the less affluent daughters of the aristocracy who couldn't afford them.  The flapper style suited her and so did wearing the flapper style without underwear.

Doris was well liked.  She was warm hearted, clever and witty and made a party ignite.  She never made quips at someone else's expense. She seemed to have unlimited energy as she went to Court Balls and Country House weekends..

She made the sign of the cross, saying "Tiara, Brooch, Clip, Clip!"

Then in 1926, Doris met Valentine Castlerosee, the Earl of Kenmare heir.  He may have been near 300 pounds and have a boisterous personality but he thought Doris was sexy and elegant. They went out in London, Cannes, Deaville, Monte Carlo, and then they married.  She got the title Viscountess Castlerosse.

The marriage was a disaster. He gambled and his debts grew.  He had a temper. They both spent excessively on clothes. He was unfaithful but also jealous when she was. He wanted to proceed with a divorce due to her adultery but his mother told him not to: she wanted to save the family reputation.

Cara Delevingne, the model, is her great niece. 

    

The primary reference for the above re- post is the book "The Riviera Set" by Mary Lovell

One of the references for this month's posts.

The Mistress of Mayfair

Men Money and Marriage of Doris Delevingne by Lyndsy Spence

Doris's life came to an end in 1942, not long after she returned to England after appealing to Winston Churchill to help her get a seat on a plane so she could leave America, where she was not a success.  She commit suicide by poison in a hotel room.

Let's together learn more about this notorious seductress!

C 2022 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot

All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights