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Rudolf Bing v Maria Callas
He was the boss of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She was the world’s most sought-after diva. But that didn’t stop him from sacking her in 1958 after they failed to agree on roles. “Bing fires Callas” headlines duly appeared around the world.
Joe Volpe v Kathleen Battle
Another Met boss, another diva: Volpe fired Battle from La fille du Régiment in 1994, alleging unprofessional behaviour. She never sang an opera again; cast members wore T-shirts proclaiming “I survived the Battle.”
Birgit Nilsson v Franco Corelli
One night, after Nilsson outsang Corelli on a high C in Turandot, Corelli retaliated by biting – not kissing – her ear in the Act III love duet. After which Nilsson wired the house manager: “Cannot sing. Have rabies.”
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Joe Volpe did indeed fire Miss Battle but it was in San Fransisco that they wore the tshirts.. The Met also sacked Carlo Bergonzi in 1981 but he went back and sang for another 15years with opera,s like Ballo, Forza, Tosca and Luisa Miller ,Lucia and his wonderful Nemorino plus the Jimmy Levine Gala
jamesjmertins, st.albans, united kingdom