There existed a Greek Billionaire from Argentina in the 50s. His name was Aristotle Onasis. Onasis made his money as a Logistician,in Whaling,and Oil.
At some point he owned land inside half of Monaco and was a share holder at the Monte Carlo Casino. And at some point too, all the cargo ships that traversed seas all over the world, half of them were owned by him.
He also built Luxury cruises that offered sea and Island tourism for the extremely rich and powerful.
Onasis was a short, stout and by his own account an ugly man. He was liquid as river Nile but he was not easy on the eye. Onasis would hire the best artists and pay them heavily to entertain and dazzle his friends in these cruises.
This was the golden age of Opera, Theatre, Musicals. And the greatest Opera singer was Maria Callas. God installed all sets of Repertoires in Maria’s lungs. She could sing and people would cry. She could sing and people would be renewed, Maria could sing and glass would break, Maria’s voice transported people, Maria would complete a performance and the entire opera would go quiet, a mystic air engulfing the room.
Maria stepped into Onasis' cruise and sang, and Onasis fell in love with her – Because who wouldn’t? The only problem is that Maria Callas was a married woman and even in this ship, her husband was with her.
But a man like Onasis buoyed by the power of his money and the fact that this was his ship, went for the kill. Maria buoyed by the prospect of marrying the richest man on earth and what it would do for her career fell right in.
Her husband already had the disadvantage of being in a ship owned by a man who wanted to take his wife. A swimming puppy competing with a shark at sea!
As the story goes, singer Maria Callas divorced her husband and went to be the Mistress of billionaire Aristotle Onasis. Onasis divorced his wife and promised to marry Maria and she moved in with him.
Then Onasis told Maria he hated the Opera, he hated the sound of singing and requested Maria to stop singing. She stopped.
Her life now became that of the Mistress of Billionaire Onasis – riding in luxury cruises all over the world, attending cruise parties, meeting the rich and famous. Popular in this circle were men like wartime British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill and his Cigar. Slain former American President, John F Kennedy and his charming smile – Men who decide the trajectory of the planet. Iconic women like actress Marilyn Monroe were permanent residents.
Maria Callas did not sing for ten years. As we all know - President John F Kennedy was carrying on an affair with Marilyn Monroe – all this while, abandoning his wife, Jackie Kennedy, yet again another bombshell of a woman and guess who was sleeping with Jackie on the side? Argentina billionaire, Aristotle Onasis.
President John F Kennedy was shot dead and guess who quickly forgot about his decade long mistress and married Jackie Kennedy? Onasis. Maria had to move out.
After a while, Maria decided she wanted to go back and sing, and when she tried, her voice was gone – and the world had moved on to new stars because the world never waits for anyone – You are either in the ring or outside, and she could not even rely on her long lost fame. You can't be a singer with no voice.
Billionaire Onasis died in 1975, left Jackie Kennedy billions and left Maria Zero..not even a cent for the 9 years of companionship. Maria retreated and lived a quiet life, of sleeping pills, of anti- depressants, of silence, of separation, of desperation, of trepidation, of private grief. She grew so thin and frail. One day her heart stopped. She passed on.
Beams of light from the huge window panes were criss-crossing her apartment and briefly getting interrupted by her body on the floor, then travelling to finish the journey on the adjacent wall when they found her.
The story of Maria Callas is one so relevant when it comes to young people just starting off their careers, the talented among them and what being in a relationship means for their careers.
The man or woman you are with plays such a crucial role in the trajectory of your career. So choose well. (source: career tuesday). NNL.
