Maria Callas and the Rome Walkout (1958)

This harsh newsreel reports on Maria Callas walking out of the production of Bellini’s Norma. The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma was full, the cameras were broadcasting and the Italian President Giovanni Gronchi was in attendance. Callas was playing Norma with no understudy but during the first half of the performance, her voice showed signs of stress and before the second act began, she left the Opera House. There was a massive uproar in Rome. This event lead to her downfall. This is was Maria Callas said of ’that’ performance: “Some people said that I left the performance because of rudeness from a section of the audience. Anyone who knows me knows this is ridiculous. Hisses and yells do not frighten me, for I am fully aware of the enmity of claques. When my enemies stop hissing, I’ll know I’ve failed. They only make me furious, make me want to sing better than ever to complete the performance, but that night in Rome I was unable to sing... Many singers have had colds, and many of them have been substi