Maria Callas: Sacred Monster

Hoping to wrest the Callas legacy from what he calls the ""soap opera"" biographers, Galatopoulos (Italian Opera; Callas: Prima Donna Assoluta), who was friendly with the legendary diva from 1947 until her death in 1977, depicts her as a flawed woman who has been unfairly maligned. Her shortcomings, he writes, were ""redeemed by a warm and kind heart, sincerity, modesty and, with time, tolerance and compassion."" Basing his adulatory biography on the many conversations he had with Callas about her life and art, Galatopoulos explains that Callas was the aggrieved party in her feuds with other singers, opera houses and her family. He attempts to dispel some of the persistent myths about her, claiming that she did not end her career because of her rejection by Aristotle Onassis, that she didn't become pregnant by Onassis and have an abortion at his insistence and that she did not commit suicide. Lengthy statements by Callas herself are included, in which she discusses her personal relationships, her career and the psychological insights that enabled her to imbue the characters she portrayed with her famous dramatic intensity. Callas devotees who relish the sensational aspects of her life will be disappointed, but those looking for a serious appreciation of her dramatic and vocal talents will be rewarded, for Galatopoulos analyzes her abilities with considerable perception. Included are more than 100 b&w and color photos (many never before published), an annotated discography and a chronology of Callas's performances. (Apr.) FYI: The book was first published in 1998 in the U.K. by Fourth Estate.