Dimitris Pyromallis, who spent decades assembling one of the world’s most extensive collections of Maria Callas memorabilia, has died at the age of 68.
According to a statement from the Greek National Opera, his collection includes approximately 4,000 vinyl records, 6,000 CDs, hundreds of books, newspaper clippings, periodicals, thousands of photographs, autographs, manuscripts, stamps bearing Callas’s likeness from various countries, medals dedicated to the soprano, and personal belongings of hers.
Pyromallis was born in 1958. At the age of four, he encountered Callas by chance on the island of Zakynthos, an event that shaped his life so profoundly that from the age of 20 he devoted himself to collecting works related to her art.
He donated the entire collection to the Greek National Opera archive in 2023, the year the company marked as the Maria Callas centenary. To mark the gift, the opera mounted an exhibition titled UNBOXING CALLAS: An Archival Exploration of the Pyromallis Collection and the GNO Archive.
In 2024, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou honoured Pyromallis with the Gold Cross of the Order of the Phoenix for the donation.
Artistic director Giorgos Koumendakis, along with the management and staff of the Greek National Opera, expressed deep sorrow and offered sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
