Prima Donna

Reviews / Votes

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 *