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Prima Donna: The Psychology of Maria Callas by Paul Wink 9780190857738

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Description

Prima Donna: The Psychology of Maria Callas explores the psychological mechanisms underlying the hypnotic power of Callas's artistry and the unfolding of her tragic life story. Although precipitated by the trauma and shame that followed her abandonment by Aristotle Onassis and the rapid deterioration of her voice, Callas's midlife disintegration reflects deep psychological vulnerabilities. In this book, Wink utilizes cutting-edge advances in research on developmental psychology and narcissism to shed light on Callas's puzzling personal deterioration during the last nine years of her life. Lacking a cohesive and integrated sense of self, Callas sought affirmation and vitality from adoring audiences and older men including her husband Battista Meneghini and her long-term partner Onassis. The propensity to fuse her identity with stage roles contributed to her artistic greatness, but envy and the lack of an intrinsic sense of meaning and worth intensified her vulnerability to life's vicissitudes. Prima Donna is both a powerful study of Callas's life and a contribution to the greater body of work on the psychology of artists.

About the Author
Paul Wink is Professor of Psychology and the Nellie Zuckerman Cohen & Anne Cohen Heller Professor in Health Science at Wellesley College. He is a leading researcher in the area of adult development with numerous publications on narcissism, aging, and religion and spirituality. He is the co-author of In the Course of a Lifetime: Tracing Religious Belief, Practice, and Change, and a co-editor of books on the psychology of retirement and spirituality in a diverse world.

Reviews
Readers unfamiliar with Callas's life and work will get a sufficient grounding to satisfy their curiosity, but individuals more familiar with her life and particularly her recording and performance history will also appreciate Wink's analysis. * A. J. Adam, CHOICE *
Wink's reading is broadly sympathetic and provides a compelling mixture of confidence and insecurity that was such a puzzling feature of Callas's personality. This is a gripping read - an engagingly written and very human story to be wolfed down in a couple of sittings. * Alexandra Wilson, BBC Music Magazine *
Wink's astute conclusion, with worthy awe and empathy, recognizes both triumph and tragedy in Callas's fate. He agrees with a noted developmental psychologist that no artist 'searching for the self' can expect artistry to heal 'the underlying lack of sense of self'. But, in Wink's view of Callas, 'this doomed quest offers a royal road to artistic greatness' * David J. Baker, Opera News *
Prima Donna does not purport to be a comprehensive biography. The emphasis of this book is Maria Callas's psychology. Her admirers might fear that something ineffable about her magical gift has been reduced here to psychopathology. On the other hand, the author's conclusions are logical, well thought out and clear. This is a useful contribution to exploring the unconscious conflicts that underlie art, and to our appreciation of a performer with enduring appeal. * Guy Glass, Center for Medical Humanities, The Literature, Arts and Medicine Database (LitMed) *
Long before Beyonce, Madonna, or Cher, there was Maria Callas. Wink explores the depthless fragility behind the greatest diva of all time. In reconciling the vulnerable Maria with the imperial Callas, he elucidates both the mystery of opera's most galvanizing figure and the inner workings of narcissism in human psychology. Prima Donna is a tour de force worthy of its majestic subject. * Jefferson A. Singer, PhD., Dean of the College and Faulk Foundation Professor of Psychology, Connecticut College *
A psychologically compelling portrayal of Maria Callas's artistic and personal triumphs and setbacks that will appeal to Callas fans, opera lovers, and the general reader alike. A truly engrossing read. * Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO, Thrive Global; Author of Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend *
Maria Callas's life abounds with puzzles and mysteries. Paul Wink does not look for easy solutions to explain the diva's successes or her personal inadequacies. He rejects the plausible explanation if it does not fit the facts. Callas's magnificent voice, coupled with musicianship and acting ability, is so well described that even if you are not an opera fan you will be moved. You will hear the applause. * Lillian Kaufman Cartwright, PhD., University of California, Berkeley *



Book Information
ISBN 9780190857738
Author Paul Wink
Format Hardback
Page Count 296
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions(mm) 135mm * 180mm * 33mm

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