The Mysterious Death of Maria Callas: Was It Murder?

Maria Callas, one of the most celebrated opera singers of the 20th century, was found dead in her Paris apartment in 1977 at the age of 53. Now, Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who is making a film about Callas, has uncovered new evidence that challenges the official cause of death. While Callas had various health problems, a heart attack was not among them. Zeffirelli questions why her doctor insisted on an autopsy despite the lack of a heart condition, especially as Callas was vehemently opposed to cremation. He believes that Callas was murdered, and he even names a suspect – her pianist, Vasa Devečic. Zeffirelli claims that Devečic, who was a close confidante of Callas, orchestrated the cremation, stole her will, and benefited financially from her death. He suggests that Devečic, envious of Callas’s fame, may have used sedatives to gradually weaken her and eventually administer a fatal dose. While the truth of Callas’s death may never be fully known, Zeffirelli’s investigation raises unsettling questions about the circumstances surrounding her passing.