Faustina Bordoni / Count Ludovico Mazzanti, between 1738 and 1740

Operatic sopranos who sing the lead parts have long been known as prima donnas, Italian for first lady. In the 19th century English-speaking world, they became known as divas, for their divine voices.

Their behavior hasn’t always been divine, though. Both prima donna and diva have come to mean a self-centered, unreasonable woman.

All the following anecdotes are about divas in the first sense of the term, and some were diva’s in the second. Continue reading →