It was Easter Sunday 1962, an exquisite yacht cut a dash on the Ionian Sea as it’s elegant lines swept into Zakynthos harbour the name ‘Christina O’ could be clearly read across it’s bow.

Aboard was shipping magnate Aristotle Socrates Onassis and his lover Maria Callas.  The pair had spent the early part of Easter holidaying with his sister and friends on the hauntingly remote island of Stafades.  Although married though not to each other, the Greek American soprano Callas and Onassis embarked on a notorious affair.  Callas had already given up her live operatic performances to share Onassis’ jet-set lifestyle with the expectation of marryring him.

Stepping ashore on Zakynthos, the celebrity couple and entourage took a stroll along the sea front promenade.  Word quickly spread among the islanders and an excited crowd enveloped the visitors; following their every move and giving up rapturous applause every now and again.

Onassis was suitably impressed with the islands post-earthquake restoration and openly praised the courage and tenacity of the Zakynthians.  He pledged his support to include Zakynthos on the Olympic Airways (now Olympic Airlines) flight path, once the island established an airport.  Late in the evening Onassis’ glamorous party took the coastal road to Agassi, stopping for an aperitif at the Mimosa taverna before dining at the Granada taverna.

The Zakynthos Sampsarellou Orchestra gave a special performance at the Granada taverna.  Clearly delighted by the orchestra, Callas requested an encore of Verdi’s Nabucco and the musicians were more than happy to oblige.

An awe-struck Takis Feradouros, just eighteen at the time, had been a waiter serving Onassis and Callas.  He recalls the evening vividly “Fellow diners welcomed Onassis and company with warm applause...” adding that they (Onassis and Callas) “...were friendly, relaxed and open-hearted...they made you feel that you were part of their party”

These days ‘Captain Takis’, as he is fondly known, is in the fishing business.  Asked recently in an interview if he could remember what the famous diners had eaten – his response was “It was Easter”, in a quite self-evident tone he added “they ordered lamb on the spit of course and they left a very good tip!”

Quizzed for the amount? Takis replied “For me personally, they left five thousand drachmas”.

At the time the average monthly wage amounted to one thousand drachmas.

Onassis and Callas came back to the island again in the summer of 1964, revisiting with friends that included the president of the National Bank of Greece.  The celebrated assemble literally stopped the traffic on their way to Uncle Gianni’s Shack at Krioniri.  The harbour road came to a complete standstill as hoards of onlookers gathered.

A few years later Onassis cooled-off his affair with Callas to wed the iconic Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of assassinated USA president John F. Kennedy.  Throughout his marriage to Kennedy, Onassis continued to see Callas, it has long been suggested that she was the true love of his life.

This September 16th  marks thirty-two years since the untimely death of opera diva Maria Callas aged 54.  She died in Paris, a virtual recluse; the cause of death remains unclear.  Despite relinquishing her American citizenship and taking up her Greek nationality, a love-hate relationship with her own people prevails.  Fraternizing with the enemy during the Italian occupation of Greece, her ill fated affair with Onassis, public scandals and professional misjudgements fuel her critics still.