Her Voice
The project Her Voice explores the multifaceted concept of Maria Callas’s “voice”. Callas’s unique vocal ability transcended traditional classifications and was deeply tied to her artistic vision and personal convictions. A significant part of her legacy is found in the spartiti (musical scores) she used, annotated with her handwritten notes. These notes reveal how she adapted roles to fit her extraordinary voice, modifying complex compositions to highlight her vocal range and abilities.
The project focuses on the spartito from the finale of Bellini’s Il Pirata, performed by Callas at La Scala in 1958, during a time of professional conflict. In the opera’s climactic scene, where the protagonist succumbs to madness, Callas delivered the line “Look at the macabre scaffold” directly to the theater director, critiquing his management style. This bold act marked her final performance at La Scala and a pivotal moment in her career. The finale of Il Pirata had been entirely restructured by Callas, as she extensively modified the score to align with her vision.
In Her Voice, Callas’s annotations are encoded into perforated cards, similar to those used in musical boxes, which are then employed in a mechanical loom to produce a silk fabric. This fabric serves as a tangible transcription of her modifications, with its color variations symbolizing the nuances of her voice and artistic choices. The work juxtaposes the musical with the material, transforming sound into a visual and tactile narrative.
Through this process, Her Voice reflects on Callas’s voice as a musical phenomenon, an artistic interpretation, and an expression of personal convictions. It invites viewers to consider the interplay between artistry, individuality, and ethical stance, encapsulating her legacy in a material form that bridges sound, performance, and cultural history.
The research was conducted with the support of Zoi Tzamtzi – Musicologist.
The work was commissioned by the Greek National Opera.
The fabric was produced at Silkline Mouhtaridis
Photos: Valeria Isaeva
year
2023
acknowledgements
Zoi Tzamtzi, Mouhtaridis team,
