The home where legendary opera diva Maria Callas lived from 1940-1945 is set to become an opera school. The project, dubbed as the Maria Callas Opera Academy, has been the goal of soprano Vasso Papantoniou and her husband, author Vassilis Vassilakos, for a number of years. Greek National Opera Artistic Director Myron Michailidis took the opportunity to give the GNO’s backing to the creation of the academy during an annual gala concert held each year to pay tribute to the great soprano.

The neoclassical apartment block, located at 61 Patission Street in central Athens, was designed by architect Costas Kitsikas and built in 1925. It is the place where Callas lived with her mother when aged 18. It was from this home where it all began in February of 1941 when she made her professional debut as Beatrice in Suppe’s operetta Boccaccio. A year later she sang her first Tosca, a role that would be iconic to her career.

Athens Mayor Yorgos Kaminis said that a Callas museum would also operate in the building with a treasure-trove of audiovisual material, photos and personal artifacts belonging to the iconic singer. Opera buffs will be able to visit the museum and listen to music and attend master classes and even small opera concerts. A bistro, named La Divina, will operate on the ground floor offering some of the great diva’s favorite dishes.

The project is expected to cost 1 million euros and is expected to attract visitors around the world. A great deal of work is needed because the apartment was damaged by an earthquake in 1999, and was rendered by the police as unsafe. Owners at the NAT Merchant Seamen’s Fund have agreed that the Municipality of Athens can manage the building and apply for EU funding from the National Support Reference Framework for 2015.