Maria Callas

“To be a diva is to be a goddess. That is what the word means. It is a word that should be used for a woman who has given her life to her art.”

“An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down. It starts in my imagination, it becomes my life, and it stays part of my life long after I've left the opera house.”

“Don't talk to me about rules, dear. Wherever I am, I make the rules.”

“When my enemies stop hissing, I shall know I'm slipping.”

“First I lost my voice, then I lost my figure, and then I lost Onassis.”

“I am not an angel and do not pretend to be. That is not one of my roles. But I am not the devil either. I am a woman and a serious artist, and I would like to be judged as such.”

“Love is so much better when you are not married.”

“That is the difference between good singers and great singers. One is just a voice, the other is an artist.”

“You are born an artist or you are not. And you stay an artist, dear, even if your voice is less of a fireworks. The artist is always there.”

“Some say I have a beautiful voice, some say I have not. It is a matter of opinion. All I can say is, those who don't like it shouldn't come to hear me.”

“I will not be sued! I have the voice of an angel!”

“Real friends are very special, but you have to be careful because sometimes you have a friend and you think they are made of rock, then suddenly you realise they're only made of sand.”

“What is there in life if you do not work? There is only sensation, and there are only a few sensations— you cannot live on them. You can live on work.”

“I prepare myself for rehearsals like I would for marriage.”

“First, I am a woman. And then I am an artist.”