In the summer of 2023, an anniversary year as it marks 100 years since the birth of Maria Callas, the long-awaited museum will open its doors to house the documents from her magnificent international career.
Located in the heart of Athens, in a neoclassical building located on Mitropoleos Street, all the archival material related to the inimitable Greek opera diva will be housed, Proto Thema reported.
This material has been gathered, gradually, for years, to which 50 valuable personal items of Maria Callas were recently added, which were donated to the Municipality of Athens by the President and member of the Friends of Music Association, Konstantinos and Victoria Pylarinou.
Among them are her handwritten school notebook, nine medals with which she had been awarded, a diploma awarded to her in 1961 by the Municipality of Athens, numerous photographs and portraits of her, as well as impressive costumes and accessories from her historical appearances in the largest opera theatres of the world, along with her scores and personal notes.
It is worth noting that other large cultural institutions abroad were interested in this private collection, but its owners consciously chose to donate it to the city of Athens.
The above valuable objects will be added to the material already collected by the Municipality of Athens, from 2000 onwards, which comes from an auction held in Paris but also from important donations from individuals and organisations from Greece and abroad who wanted to are actively supporting the effort to create the first museum dedicated to the greatest soprano of all time.
Thus, a large amount of material has already been collected for exhibition, which includes, among other things, rare recordings, audio documents, numerous records and dozens of personal items of the woman who enchanted the whole world with her voice.
The importance of the private initiative for the completion of the creation of the Maria Callas Museum in Athens was underlined by the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, accepting the valuable donation of the Pylarinos couple.
"I feel particularly moved not only because Athens is honouring its diva with a special Museum that will be ready next summer, but also for the fact that the collection of exhibits that will be included in it, today grows even more than a touching donation," said the mayor.
"I am grateful to Konstantinos and Viktoria Pylarinos, who, having the good fortune to meet the great artist, wanted to donate to us not only her personal belongings but also a strong 'sample' of who Maria Callas really was," he added.
"This Collection was protected for 45 years, with a lot of effort, respect and love, and today it is handed over to the Municipality of Athens to be added to the Museum's exhibits and to be utilised in the best possible way," said Kostas Pylarinos.
He added: "The stubborn effort of Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis for the creation of the Museum was the reliable call for our gesture. The safe and dignified management of the collection by the Athens Municipality's Technopolis was an additional and essential motivation for our donation."
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