The diva’s powerful voice filled the concert hall, leaving the audience in awe.2. As the diva exited the limousine, paparazzi eagerly snapped photos, desperate Diva to capture her every move.3. Behind the scenes, the diva was known for her meticulous attention to detail and perfectionism.5. The diva’s extravagant wardrobe was filled with designer gowns and sparkling jewelry.6. The diva’s glamorous lifestyle was the envy of many, with private jets and luxurious vacations.8.
There were just as many hard-to-work-with men in the industry – and continue to be – who do not receive the diva label. And even worse, many of these men committed acts far worse than arguing with directors or looking down on others – like sexual harassment or abuse. Callas united so-called high culture and pop culture, without compromising her repertoire. She was also beamed to prime-time TV audiences, such as her 1956 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show,where she sang Vissi d’arte (I lived for art), an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s 1899 opera Tosca. Davis wrote in her memoir, The Lonely Life, “I have always been driven by some distant music — a battle hymn no doubt — for I have been at war from the beginning. I was going to conquer the world.” Her determination for cinematic excellence is outlined here, loud and clear.
The diva gracefully glided across the stage, effortlessly commanding the spotlight.9. Fans eagerly awaited the diva’s next release, eagerly anticipating her musical genius.10. The diva’s temperamental nature often made headlines, adding to her mystique.11. The diva’s diva, she demanded a separate dressing room and specific food requests.12. The diva’s vocal range was unmatched, hitting high notes with ease and precision.13.
- A female singer or performer who is talented, confident, and demanding.”The diva demanded that her dressing room be filled with only white flowers.”
- Yet Callas did arguably channel real-life trauma and conflict into her musical delivery, and seemed bound by the notion of “destiny”.
- These women were considered the stars of the show, possessing exceptional talent, confidence, and sometimes demanding personalities.
- Callas united so-called high culture and pop culture, without compromising her repertoire.
- The diva’s performance at the award ceremony left the audience spellbound, reaffirming her status as a true star.14.
- Thus, the etymology of ‘diva’ highlights its historical association with female deities and the elevated status and exceptional qualities attributed to female performers, as conveyed by its linguistic heritage.
Popular in Wordplay
She strutted onto the stage like a true diva, demanding attention with every step.3. The pop diva’s album soared to the top of the charts within days of its release.4. Her reputation as a diva preceded her, causing anticipation and excitement wherever she went.5. The fashion diva effortlessly pulled off the latest trends, setting the style for others to follow.6. Despite her diva persona, she had a heart of gold and regularly donated to charity.
Antonio Pappano: ‘Opera is an art form’
A Hollywood star whose diva label has arguably more legs to stand on, at least from an outside perspective, is Bette Davis. Known for her short temper, love of gossip, and drive for perfection, many people have labelled her a diva. While these facts are likely very true – Davis might have very well been an insufferable person to be around – how much of this criticised behaviour was enacted by male stars, too?
The diva’s performance at the award ceremony left the audience spellbound, reaffirming her status as a true star.14. Despite her diva status, the singer remained humble, always grateful for her success. The renowned opera diva captivated the audience with her breathtaking performance.2.
Gustavo Dudamel: ‘Music has the power to change the world’
- Davis wrote in her memoir, The Lonely Life, “I have always been driven by some distant music — a battle hymn no doubt — for I have been at war from the beginning.
- As the diva exited the limousine, paparazzi eagerly snapped photos, desperate to capture her every move.3.
- Callas maintained her poise in the face of astounding cruelty, and long before mainstream notions of artist wellbeing or body positivity; it’s hard to imagine people camping out for Beyoncé or Gaga shows solely to jeer or pelt the stars with vegetables.
- The image of Callas as an archetypal diva, and the notion that the goddess-star should suffer for her art, is loaded; there is no equivalent that positions a male divo on quite the same pedestal, or exposes them to the same judgements.
- There is only one Callas, yet there are seemingly countless incarnations; as listeners, we project our personal desires, and distresses, onto her expressions – and we continue to bond with her music, in unpredictable ways.
- A new documentary explores the highs and lows of Callas’s life, as well as what her legacy is today.
Yet Callas did arguably channel real-life trauma and conflict into her musical delivery, and seemed bound by the notion of “destiny”. In Beyoncé’s song ‘Diva’, she tells us that a “diva is a female version of a hustler”. Certainly, when men work hard – even if that means neglecting their families or lashing out at crew members for not understanding their creative visions, for example – they rarely get criticised in the same way.
It is derived from the Italian word ‘diva,’ which means ‘goddess’ or ‘female deity.’ In the world of opera, the term ‘diva’ was historically used to refer to the leading female singer, often the soprano, who typically portrayed the central female character, often a heroine or a mythological figure. These women were considered the stars of the show, possessing exceptional talent, confidence, and sometimes demanding personalities. Over time, the term ‘diva’ has broadened to describe not only talented female singers and performers but also individuals, regardless of their profession, who exhibit qualities of exceptional talent, confidence, and occasionally a degree of assertiveness or high expectations. Thus, the etymology of ‘diva’ highlights its historical association with female deities and the elevated status and exceptional qualities attributed to female performers, as conveyed by its linguistic heritage.
Quiz: Find the meaning of the noun diva:
If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter. So together we engage and educate to create sustainable behaviour change to help people thrive. The role leading the renovated Jersey Opera House is advertised with a salary of up to £90,000.
While Garbo’s reclusiveness might have been perceived by many as snobbish, and her arguments with MGM executives deemed unprofessional, we cannot truly know the reasons behind her actions. “Perhaps Maria Callas, beyond her genius as a musicienne assoluta, so timeless and perpetually modern in the sensory impact it has on the listener, continues to fascinate because she actually has no true descendants.” Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has enjoyed one of the longest careers in operatic history.
Quiz categories containing diva
“She worked so hard, she made herself Maria Callas – she made herself the greatest diva,” Stella Kourmapana, archivist at the Athens Conservatoire, explains in Maria Callas, part of the BBC series Take Me to The Opera. Bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel is one of the most distinguished opera singers of our age. In a world where women are routinely placed into categories, often with negative connotations, like ‘whore’, ‘virgin’, ‘slut’, ‘hormonal, ‘hysterical’, etc, ‘diva’ is just another example that only serves to lazily reduce a woman to nothing more than a mere concept of a person. At what point are people jumping to use the term diva in place of ‘a woman with boundaries’? Old Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe have been dubbed ‘divas’, but this term fails to harness any nuance.
Godly Words
For a female star to lean into ‘hustle culture’ and creative perfection is to become selfish, arrogant, over-confident, and a diva. Callas maintained her poise in the face of astounding cruelty, and long before mainstream notions of artist wellbeing or body positivity; it’s hard to imagine people camping out for Beyoncé or Gaga shows solely to jeer or pelt the stars with vegetables. Derided in her youth for being fat, Callas was later slated for being too thin; her weight loss was said to contribute to her vocal decline, although the intensity and range of her work was surely a factor.
By using a term that reduces a person to a flimsy stereotype, you strip a person of their identity and complexity. Considering that much of what we know about celebrities has been constructed through the media, we can never be sure of what a person is really like unless we know them personally. We travel to La Scala in Milan, Italy the iconic stage where every opera singer dreams of performing. The posthumous veneration of Callas might deflect from the media industry’s original malice, but it also reflects her inimitable force. There is only one Callas, yet there are seemingly countless incarnations; as listeners, we project our personal desires, and distresses, onto her expressions – and we continue to bond with her music, in unpredictable ways. A new documentary explores the highs and lows of Callas’s life, as well as what her legacy is today.