Editing Maria Callas (section)

===Italy, Meneghini, and Serafin===
In 1946, Callas was engaged to re-open the opera house in Chicago as ''[[Turandot]]'', but the [[Chicago Opera Company|company]] folded before opening. Basso [[Nicola Rossi-Lemeni]], who also was to star in this opera, was aware that [[Tullio Serafin]] was looking for a dramatic soprano to cast as ''[[La Gioconda (opera)|La Gioconda]]'' at the [[Arena di Verona]]. He later recalled the young Callas as being "amazing—so strong physically and spiritually; so certain of her future. I knew in a big outdoor theatre like Verona's, this girl, with her courage and huge voice, would make a tremendous impact."<ref name="artandlife">{{harvnb|Ardoin|1974}}</ref>{{page needed|date=May 2021}} Subsequently he recommended Callas to retired tenor and impresario [[Giovanni Zenatello]]. During her audition, Zenatello became so excited that he jumped up and joined Callas in the act 4 duet.<ref name="stassinopoulos"/>

[[File:Callas Meneghini 1957.jpg|thumb|Callas with her husband Giovanni Battista Meneghini in 1957]]
It was in this role that Callas made her Italian debut. Upon her arrival in [[Verona]], Callas met Giovanni Battista Meneghini, an older, wealthy industrialist, who began courting her. They married in 1949, and he assumed control of her career until 1959, when the marriage dissolved. It was Meneghini's love and support that gave Callas the time needed to establish herself in Italy,<ref name="artandlife" />{{page needed|date=May 2021}} and throughout the prime of her career, she went by the name of Maria Meneghini Callas.

After ''La Gioconda'', Callas had no offers, and when Serafin, looking for someone to sing [[Tristan und Isolde|Isolde]], called on her, she told him that she already knew the score, even though she had looked at only the first act out of curiosity while at the conservatory.<ref name="downes"/> She sight-read the opera's second act for Serafin, who praised her for knowing the role so well, whereupon she admitted to having bluffed and having sight-read the music. Even more impressed, Serafin immediately cast her in the role.<ref name="downes"/> Serafin thereafter served as Callas's mentor and supporter.

Lord Harewood stated "Very few Italian conductors have had a more distinguished career than Tullio Serafin, and perhaps none, apart from [[Arturo Toscanini|Toscanini]], more influence".<ref name="harewoodlondon"/> In 1968, Callas recalled that working with Serafin was the "really lucky" opportunity of her career because "he taught me that there must be an expression; that there must be a justification. He taught me the depth of music, the justification of music. That's where I really really drank all I could from this man".<ref name="harewoodparis"/>