excerpts from an interview of opera singer Giuletta Simionato by Stefan Zucker
SZ: Why did you slap Callas?
GS: You know this, too! [Laughs.] I have a rather strange nervous
system. I'm ticklish. When I wasn't feeling well, I would tickle myself.
But I can't stand it if someone else does it to me. And she knew it. To
tease me, she tickled me. I whirled around and slapped her cheek, hard.
And I said to her, "Maria, don't do that to me. I go crazy when someone
does it." In fact, I always told everyone, "Don't tickle me, because I
can't stand it. It hurts me--I'm extra-sensitive there." My doctors told
me, "It's a question of your nervous system. You have to try to avoid
it." "How can I avoid it? They do it to me without warning."
I reacted like a beast. But five minutes later we were all hugs and
kisses, bosom friends again. She went to Battista [Callas's husband,
Giovanni Battista Meneghini] crying and said, "Battista, Giulia hit
me--she slapped me!" "Don't you tickle me. You know what it does to me."
"But who knew that you'd react so violently?" That's what happened.....
SZ: Why did you slap Callas?
GS: You know this, too! [Laughs.] I have a rather strange nervous
system. I'm ticklish. When I wasn't feeling well, I would tickle myself.
But I can't stand it if someone else does it to me. And she knew it. To
tease me, she tickled me. I whirled around and slapped her cheek, hard.
And I said to her, "Maria, don't do that to me. I go crazy when someone
does it." In fact, I always told everyone, "Don't tickle me, because I
can't stand it. It hurts me--I'm extra-sensitive there." My doctors told
me, "It's a question of your nervous system. You have to try to avoid
it." "How can I avoid it? They do it to me without warning."
I reacted like a beast. But five minutes later we were all hugs and
kisses, bosom friends again. She went to Battista [Callas's husband,
Giovanni Battista Meneghini] crying and said, "Battista, Giulia hit
me--she slapped me!" "Don't you tickle me. You know what it does to me."
"But who knew that you'd react so violently?" That's what happened.....
