The story of the 2025 Gabby Awards is entitled “Goddesses in our Midst,” during which we will recognize and honor the extraordinary lives of 20 contemporary goddesses from throughout North America. During the program, with film, song and theatrical elements, we will also pay tribute to a series of dynamic women who each in her own way, left her mark on the world. We are honored to have the support of longtime foundation supporter Alexandra Loutsion, an internationally-acclaimed soprano, lead in our tribute to Maria Callas on the night of June 7, 2025.
Maria Callas (1923–1977) was more than an opera singer—she was a transformative figure who reshaped the very soul of opera. Known to the world as La Divina—“The Divine”—she brought unprecedented emotional depth, dramatic realism, and vocal brilliance to a centuries-old art form, forever changing the expectations of what an opera singer could be.
Born Maria Kalogeropoulos to Greek parents in New York City, and raised and trained in Athens, Callas possessed a voice that defied categorization—at once powerful and fragile, commanding yet vulnerable. Her unmistakable timbre and expansive range allowed her to inhabit roles across the operatic spectrum, from the lyricism of Lucia di Lammermoor to the volcanic fury of Medea.
Callas is credited with reviving the bel canto repertoire—works by Bellini, Donizetti, and Rossini that had faded into obscurity by the mid-20th century. Her interpretations of Norma, Anna Bolena, and La Sonnambula were not only technically impeccable but emotionally searing, setting new standards for both musicality and theatricality.
What made Maria Callas singular was her ability to merge vocal technique with dramatic truth. She didn’t just sing the notes; she lived the roles. Her Tosca was tormented and desperate, her Violetta heartbreakingly human. Every gesture, every phrase, every silence carried intention. Audiences did not merely watch her—they were consumed by her.
But behind the scenes, Callas’s life was as dramatic as her performances. She endured a difficult childhood, struggled with vocal challenges and public criticism, and lived a famously tragic love story with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Yet through it all, she remained fiercely devoted to her craft. Her personal trials only deepened the emotional resonance of her artistry.
Callas’s influence extended beyond the opera house. She became a global icon—a muse to filmmakers, fashion designers, and generations of performers across genres. Even decades after her final performance, her recordings continue to inspire awe, study, and imitation.
In honoring Maria Callas, we honor a woman who elevated opera from the concert hall to the world stage. Her legacy is not only preserved in recordings and roles—but in the way she forever altered the relationship between singer, character, and audience.
A century after her birth, Maria Callas remains the standard by which greatness is measured.
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Hailed as “fearless” by Opera News, Greek American soprano Alexandra Loutsion continues to earn acclaim for her powerful voice, commanding presence, and dramatic sensitivity. In the 2024–2025 season, she joins the roster of The Metropolitan Opera to cover the title role in Verdi’s Aida, marking yet another milestone in her rising international career. Read more here.
