10 Reasons Why We Love Maria Callas

1. She showed prospective opera singers that their voices don't have to sound like the angels to qualify (although it helps!)
2. She showed the world that opera also has acting involved. Acting is important in opera!
3. We have some one to compare all the "new" or even "bad" opera singers to.
4. She can sing Turandot one night then turn around and sing Rosina the next.
5. If you want to piss off your opera-hating relatives, you just turn her Lucia on.
6. If you want to impress your opera-loving friends, you just turn her Tosca on.
7. You can always distinguish her voice. If someone was to ask you "Who is the soprano singing here?" You don't have to decide whether it's Kiri te Kanawa's or Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. You always know it's her. (I'm not saying that Dame Kiri and Schwarzkopf sound the same, but they had the same kind of soprano voice =])
8. You can trust that practically all of her full opera recordings will have either Tito Gobbi or Giuseppe DiStefano.
9. Her Tosca is like no other. Ever.
10. Her Turandot is believable. Because you all know that you chuckle when an ugly Turandot gets kissed by Calaf. Come on, you know you do.

Viva La Divina!