Concert raises funds for Maria Callas Museum-Opera Academy

Greece pays tribute to the great late Greek-American soprano Maria Callas with the establishment of a Museum-Opera Academy dedicated to her and her work scheduled to open in 2015, according to the Association for the Maria Callas House.

Thousands of the soprano's friends and admirers gathered at the foot of the Acropolis hill on Sunday evening for an opera gala concert organized by the association and the Greek National Opera, featuring Greek and foreign soloists who interpreted arias sang by the "Divina" (The Divine).

The proceeds of the concert held at Herodeion will contribute to the renovation of the neoclassical house in central Athens where Callas lived (1940-1945) before leaving for the United States.

"This museum is the least we can do to honor the great diva, " Mayor of Athens Yorgos Kaminis said.

With an amazing view to the Acropolis, the museum will offer visitors to step into Callas' masterful expression and enjoy extracts of the roles that made her famous and mesmerized audiences like "Norma", "Tosca" and many others.

A rich audiovisual material with emblematic photos and interviews, along with personal objects, will be presented in the two of the three floors of the building.

The museum will also have a library with books and records for the lovers of opera, while there will be a hall for temporary exhibitions, master classes and small opera concerts.

In the ground floor, there will be a thematic museum shop and a bistro, named La Divina in which visitors will be able to taste her favourite recipes.

The cost of the museum is up to 1 million euros (about 1.28 million U.S. dollars) which will mainly be covered by European Union Funds.

Callas' museum is expected to attract visitors from the entire world, as the soprano was considered as one of the most influential opera singers of the 20th century.

Born in the United States in 1923, Callas first performed in Greece as a teenager before embarking on her international career. She died in Paris at the age of 53 on Sept. 16, 1977, of a heart attack. Her ashes were scattered over the Aegean Sea.