DIVA

What does it mean to be a diva? The term might suggest someone fabulous beyond belief or, perhaps, having a reputation for being difficult. Diva, taken from the Latin for “goddess,” became first used in the 1800s to describe an exceptional female opera singer. But over the years, the definition of a diva has expanded, been subverted and tarnished, and was ultimately embraced. While the definition of a diva has shifted over time—from compliment to criticism, then condemnation to aspiration—one thing remains the same: the diva’s undeniable talent.

Spanning opera, dance, theatre, film, and popular music this exhibition celebrates how trailblazing artists have used their star power to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of their art to shape culture and influence social change.

The show is divided into two acts. Act I shines a spotlight on the divas who paved the way for the stars we revere today, while Act II celebrates the contemporary performers who embrace their “divahood” in all its facets.

Sculpting the Diva

For centuries, artists looked to the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. By the 1800s, the same reverence was given to exceptional female opera singers with French writer and critic Théophile Gautier using the term diva to describe the opera singer. For him, a diva’s talent was divinely bestowed, transforming the woman into a goddess. Artists used representations of classical goddesses, like this bust of Juno, as models for depicting these performers, reinforcing this association.