Maria Callas' birthday marked with Google doodle

2 December 2013, 09:31 | Updated: 22 August 2017, 12:48

The search engine is marking the 90th anniversary of the singer's birth with a celebratory doodle, featuring Callas performing to a packed auditorium.

Born in 1923, the American-born Greek soprano was one of the most influential singers of the 20th century. By the age of 23, Callas had made a name for herself, making her debut at the Royal Opera of Athens and appearing in famous operas including Tosca, Fidelio, La Gioconda, Die Walkure and Turandot.

Famous for her off-stage controversies as well as her on-stage talent, Callas had a high-profile love affair with Aristotle Onassis before he married Jacqueline Kennedy. She died of a heart attack at the age of 53 in 1977.

This isn't the first time Google have honoured a key figure in the world of classical music. Debussy's birthday in 2013 was marked by a doodle animation featuring his Clair de Lune, and Clara Schumann was honoured with her own logo in September 2012.