1991: Nina Simone 'would love' to be compared to Maria Callas

"Well when they didn't listen to me years ago, I wouldn't play for them," Nina Simone told the BBC's David Upshal on The Late Show in 1991, addressing accusations that she was a "temperamental" performer.

"Now that's not quite true these days because I give a concert no matter what, I get paid so I give a concert. But for years when they wouldn't listen to me I wouldn't play for them at all."

The singer-songwriter dreamed of being a classical pianist from an early age, but had felt that prejudice had barred her from pursuing it, forcing her to start her professional career playing in noisy bars rather than concert venues. Faced with an audience who were out for the evening to talk and drink, she would sometimes "reprimand them for not listening".

"And I got the reputation for being difficult, and in a sense I was difficult because if they wouldn't listen I wouldn't play," said Simone.

"Let face it, La Divina (The Divine One, a nickname the Italian press gave to soprano Maria Callas) was temperamental, Maria Callas was temperamental and I would love to be compared to her. And if that means temperamental, so be it."

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