Callas's professional name was Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos. She was borne, in 1923, in New York, United States of America. At the age of thirteen, she moved from the United States to Athens, Greece. She made her first major appearance, there, in 1941 as Tosca. She began her career in dramatic roles such as Isolde, Brünnhilde, and Aïda. Nevertheless, in 1949, her mentor, at La Scala opera, the Italian conductor, Tullio Serafin, encouraged her to engage coloratura bel canto roles. These roles included Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, and many roles in revived operas. Primarily, she sang at La Scala, the Rome, and Paris operas, Covent Garden, London, and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. She was praised for the distinctive colour of her voice, her dramatic presence, and her careful musicianship. This prima donna died in 1977.