Maria Callas Family Tree: Uncover Her Legacy

Maria Callas, or “La Divina,” is an opera singing legend who lived a life that captivated people’s attention all over the world. While her performances on stage left audiences spellbound, her personal life was often just as intriguing. 

 

In this article, we pay homage to La Divina as we explore the Maria Callas family tree – people who shaped her early years, influenced her career, and haunted her later life.

Early Life and Family Background

Birth and Early Childhood

Maria Callas was born Maria Anna Cecilia Sofia Kalogeropoulos on December 2, 1923, in Manhattan, New York. Her parents, George Kalogeropoulos and Evangelia “Litsa” Dimitriadou Callas, had recently emigrated from Greece in search of a better life. However, their dreams of prosperity would soon crumble, which would deeply affect their youngest daughter.

 

She was born after the devastating loss of her older brother, Vassilis, who had died in 1922 at just three years old due to meningitis. Litsa, grieving deeply and desperate for a son to replace Vassilis, felt bitterly disappointed when Maria was born a girl. This rejection was evident early on, with Litsa refusing to even look at her newborn for the first four days of her life.

 

From an early age, Maria showed musical talent, often humming melodies before she could even speak. Her mother quickly latched onto this gift, pushing Maria into a life of performance. While this undoubtedly laid the foundation for Maria’s success, it also created a strained dynamic, as Maria resented the loss of her childhood to Litsa’s ambitions.

Family Struggles and Financial Hardships

The Callas family’s early years in the U.S. were anything but stable. George’s earnings as a pharmacist were modest, and his marriage to Litsa was filled with infidelity and bitterness. In 1937, Litsa made the drastic decision to return to Greece with Maria and her older sister, Yakinthi, leaving George behind in New York.

 

Life in Athens during the late 1930s and early 1940s was no easier. The Axis occupation of Greece during World War II plunged the country into poverty, forcing the Callas women into desperate situations. Maria, barely a teenager, was made to sing and perform to support her family, which she later described as a loss of her childhood. The relationship between Maria and her mother deteriorated further, with Litsa allegedly pressuring her daughter to engage with soldiers for financial gain.

The Maria Callas Family Tree Chart

 

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Key Members in the Callas Family Tree

Evangelia “Litsa” Dimitriadou Callas (1896–1982)

Evangelia “Litsa” Dimitriadou was born in Greece in 1896 into a middle-class family. She was the youngest of five siblings and grew up in Athens. Despite her comfortable upbringing, she wanted an even more glamorous life, aspiring to a career in the arts. Her traditional family, however, didn’t support these dreams, leaving her frustrated.

 

Litsa married George Kalogeropoulos in 1920. The marriage quickly became strained, as George’s demeanor clashed with Litsa’s. And when their son Vassilis died, Litsa’s grief turned into a desperate obsession with having another son. 

 

Her relationship with Maria fractured irreparably in the mid-1950s, when Maria severed all ties, refusing to speak to her mother for the rest of her life. Litsa died in 1982, five years after Maria, without reconciliation.

George Kalogeropoulos (1881–1972)

George Kalogeropoulos, born in Greece in 1881, was described as a mild-mannered man. He immigrated to New York with Litsa in 1923, hoping to provide stability for his growing family.

 

After years of infidelity and domestic conflict, Litsa left George in 1937, taking Maria and Yakinthi back to Greece. George remained in New York, where he remarried and largely faded from Maria’s life. 

 

George lived out the rest of his life in New York and died in 1972, just five years before Maria.

Yakinthi Callas (1917–1996)

Born in Greece in 1917, Yakinthi – known as “Jackie” – was Maria’s older sister and, in their mother’s eyes, the “golden child.” Jackie was admired for her beauty and charm, qualities that Litsa favored over Maria’s talent and discipline. This favoritism created a deep sense of inadequacy in Maria, who often felt like the “ugly duckling” of the family.

 

Jackie’s relationship with Maria grew distant over time, especially as Maria achieved international fame. Reports suggest that Jackie resented Maria’s success, feeling overshadowed by her younger sister’s stardom. 

 

Jackie lived out her life in relative obscurity and passed away in 1996.

Vassilis Kaloyeropoulos (1919–1922)

Vassilis was the firstborn son of George and Litsa, arriving in 1919 in Athens. Tragically, he succumbed to meningitis in 1922 at the age of three. His death left an emotional void that haunted Litsa for the rest of her life, fueling her obsession with having another son.

Marriage and Relationships

Giovanni Battista Meneghini

In 1949, Maria married Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a wealthy Italian industrialist nearly 30 years her senior. For Maria, Meneghini provided financial stability and acted as her manager during her meteoric rise in the opera world. However, their relationship was more pragmatic than romantic, and Maria increasingly felt trapped in the marriage as her international fame grew. 

 

Maria and Giovanni officially divorced in 1959.

Aristotle Onassis

 

Maria’s relationship with Aristotle Onassis, the Greek shipping magnate, began in 1957 and quickly became a global spectacle. Their romance was glamorous but wasn’t meant to last as Onassis left Maria in 1968 to marry Jacqueline Kennedy. Despite their official breakup, some reports claim that Maria and Onassis continued seeing each other in secret.

The Callas Family Legacy in Today’s Cultural Memory

Maria Callas’ extraordinary career and dramatic life have left an imprint on opera and popular culture. Her artistic achievements continue to be celebrated, with her recordings still topping classical music charts decades after her death.

 

For better or worse, the Maria Callas family tree is as much a part of her legacy as her artistry.

 

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You can create amazing family charts in our family tree builder in just a couple of steps! 

 

Create a free account, choose your preferred tree layout, and put in the information about your family. Once you’re done, you can export it to a stunningly looking PDF or have it printed on paper of the size of your choosing. Let’s go!

FAQs About Maria Callas and Her Family Tree

How did Maria Callas’s family influence her career?

Maria’s mother, Litsa, played a significant role in shaping her early musical training, often at the expense of Maria’s well-being. Her father supported her education initially but was largely absent after their separation.

How is Maria Callas honored in Greece today?

Maria Callas is celebrated through museums, exhibitions, and institutions such as the Maria Callas Greek National Opera Academy. Her ashes, as per her wishes, were scattered in the Aegean Sea.

 

 

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