Introduction: Maria Callas, A Timeless Icon
I might be biased when it comes to Maria Callas—I’m Greek and I love opera. Although Maria Callas is undoubtedly one of the greatest opera performers of all time, she was perhaps better known to the general public for her tumultuous affair with Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis and her status as a socialite and celebrity of her era. Even now, nearly 50 years after her death, you can still find articles in the press and biographies written about her, as she continues to captivate and fascinate. The opera world continues to honor her memory as well. Just last year, on the centenary of her birth, widespread celebrations and concerts were held in her honor. I attended one such concert in Hamburg.
Early Life and Struggles
Maria’s life story mirrors the great heroines she portrayed on stage—a luminous ascent followed by a tragic fall. She was born in 1923 in New York to Greek immigrants. Her parents’ relationship, which was always troubled, ended in 1937. Afterward, her mother, Litsa, decided to return to Greece along with her two daughters. Callas experienced little affection from either of her parents. However, her real struggle was with her mother. who was highly controlling. She pushed her excessively, forcing her to rehearse long hours to ensure her success in a singing career. Maria also accused her mother of exploiting her financially, adding to the strain in their relationship. The same was true of her husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, who was believed to be wealthy in his own right. In reality, however, he took much of what Maria earned for himself, using her success to fund his own lifestyle.
The Affair with Aristotle Onassis
Maria Callas was still married when Aristotle Onassis began pursuing her in 1957. At the time, he was also married to his first wife, Tina Livanou, daughter of the prominent shipping magnate Stavros Livanos. However, Onassis was relentless in his pursuit, and the two began a turbulant affair after spending time together on a cruise aboard his yacht, the Christina. Their relationship was marked by frequent clashes, with Onassis never fully committing to her. At times, he showered her with attention, while at other times, he excluded her entirely.
In the 1950s and 60s, women, Maria Callas included, expected a relationship to lead to marriage. Failure to achieve that commitment could be perceived as a personal failure. Given the Greek societal standards of the time, their highly visible affair must have been a significant scandal. Yet, despite her hopes, Onassis never married her. Instead, he chose to marry Jackie Kennedy, likely because he saw her as an even greater prize than Maria.
He allegedly called Maria the day before his wedding, asking her to “Come and save me from the widow.” Maria reportedly responded with the Greek equivalent of “You made your bed, now lie in it,” which, amusingly, also involves making a bed. Despite this, even after his marriage to Jackie, the two continued seeing each other. At least, that’s how the urban legend goes. The truth is, Maria, already facing serious setbacks in her career due to her voice issues, was also deeply heartbroken.
Career and the Decline of Her Voice
Between 1953 and 1954, Maria Callas underwent a significant physical transformation, losing approximately 30 kg. This drastic weight loss likely had an adverse effect on her voice, as body weight affects vocal support, resonance, and timbre. Combined with the emotional turmoil from her relationship with Onassis, these factors severely impacted her voice. It began deteriorating in the late 1950s, with the problems becoming more pronounced by the early 1960s. She gave her last opera performance in 1965 and thereafter only performed in concerts until she finally retired in 1974. A few years later, in 1977, she passed away from a heart attack in her Paris apartment.
The Film Maria
The film Maria is the third installment in an unofficial series of films that share similar aesthetics and themes. Pablo Larraín seems drawn to exploring the complex inner lives of women during their most challenging moments. This trilogy centers on three women in crisis: Jackie, which focuses on Jackie Kennedy in the aftermath of JFK’s assassination. Spencer, which portrays Princess Diana during the period leading to her divorce from now-King Charles III. And now Maria, which delves into the final days of Maria Callas in Paris. Three iconic women, each facing profound personal struggles.
The film premiered yesterday at the Venice Film Festival, and I was fortunate to attend the screening at Sala Grande. You can also catch the film at the PalaBiennale, though without the red carpet and all that comes with it. It was my first time attending a premiere at this venue. It amazed me how many people waited for hours just to catch a glimpse of the movie stars. I ended up holding up my phone too — after all, when in Rome… Last year, I attended the festival as well, but since I hadn’t secured tickets for Sala Grande, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wearing heels was probably a rookie mistake. I had no idea we’d be standing for so long before being allowed inside. The film was set to begin at 7:45 PM, but I think they only opened the doors around that time.
Film Structure
The film begins with snippets of iconic images of Maria Callas, featuring Angelina Jolie as Maria. It ends similarly, with photographs from the real Maria Callas’ life. Having watched numerous recordings of Maria Callas’s concerts, I noticed that in those initial images, Angelina Jolie attempts to mimic her facial expressions, which, to me, felt somewhat unnatural. It reminded me of how Natalie Portman imitated Jackie Kennedy’s breathy voice—despite her talent, the result felt slightly off. At least, it struck me as odd, perhaps because women today don’t speak that way. The film is structured in three parts, or acts, as indicated by the scene titles, mirroring the structure of an opera. However, the narrative itself is nonlinear, with frequent flashbacks to different moments in Maria Callas’s life. This approach makes the chronology of the three acts unclear, leaving me wondering why they bothered to divide it that way.
A Breakdown of the Three Acts.
In Act I, we are introduced to Maria in the present, struggling with everyday life. She practices in private, hoping her voice will regain its former strength. She begins to experience hallucinations, imagining herself being interviewed, during which she narrates parts of her life. This setup is reminiscent of Jackie, which also revolves around an interview. Here, however, the journalist and crew are entirely imaginary. In Act II, we learn more about her past, including her affair with Onassis and some traumatic experiences during WWII in Greece.
Finally, in Act III, we witness her collapse. While rehearsing in private at a theater, a journalist manages to gain access. He captures her vocal struggles on tape, which becomes the breaking point for Maria. She has flashbacks to Onassis on his deathbed, remembering how he told her they would meet again in death in Athens. In the end, she exits in a blaze of glory, lost in a vivid hallucination of a final concert, where she momentarily recaptures her voice before passing away. If I’ve mixed up the content of the acts—admittedly, the division between the first and second is somewhat unclear—I assure you it wasn’t intentional. I might need to rewatch the film to get it exactly right.
Historical Accuracy and Creative Liberties
It’s important to remember that this is a film, not a documentary, so there are numerous elements that deviate from the facts. For instance, in reality, Maria’s sister Yakinthi supported her until the end, yet in the film, the sister dismisses her, leaving only her housemaid and butler by her side. Then there’s the portrayal of their mother prostituting Maria and her sister to German soldiers during the war. While their mother did what she could to survive during that time, no evidence shows that she forced her daughters to participate.
The film also suggests that Onassis asked Maria to stop singing. While it’s believable that he was abusive—there were witnesses who claimed he was physically violent—it seems unlikely that he would ask her to give up the very thing that made her worthy of him in his eyes. In fact, it’s well-documented that Onassis was proud of her career and encouraged her to focus on it. Additionally, the film implies that Jackie Kennedy had an affair with Onassis before JFK’s death, which seems doubtful. There are rumors, however, as I mentioned above that Maria continued her affair with Aristotle Onassis after he married Jackie.
Jolie’s Vocal Performance and Emotional Depth
Angelina Jolie sang parts of the film using her own voice—or at least that was my impression. In these scenes, Maria Callas had already lost her voice, which worked to Jolie’s advantage. She didn’t need to be an exceptional opera singer for the role; in fact, her imperfect singing fit the narrative well. That said, she was more than decent for an actress portraying an opera singer. When Jolie wasn’t trying too hard to imitate Maria Callas, she delivered a strong performance. I genuinely felt the sorrow and longing in her portrayal, as well as the devastation when her character couldn’t reclaim her voice, and the escapism through drugs and hallucinations. In the final act, when Maria imagines her house filled with an orchestra and sings as if her voice were restored, building to a crescendo until her death, Jolie was magnificent.
Final impressions
On a different note, I have to mention—being Greek myself—that in the entire film, Jolie speaks only two words of Greek, and they are unintelligible. Valeria Golino, who plays her sister, had a slight accent, but her Greek was understandable. To be fair, the phrase she had to say, “έχω παραισθήσεις” (I have hallucinations), is difficult for non-Greeks to pronounce. I’m not entirely sure that was the exact phrase, but based on the response she received, I believe it was. Anyway, it’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
I thoroughly enjoyed the opera scenes featuring the actual voice of Maria Callas, though I’m unsure how commercially appealing that will be, given that not everyone loves opera—or is familiar enough with it to appreciate it. I’m not sure how the audience will receive the film—my familiarity with the story makes me biased—but I hope it does well. If nothing else, it could introduce younger audiences to the magical world of opera, which desperately needs fresh enthusiasm and appreciation.
You can read more of my film reviews of premieres from the 81st Venice Film Festival, including Babygirl, The Room Next Door, Joker: Folie à Deux, and Queer.
Leave a Reply