The story of the opera singer Maria Callas arrived on the screens through a film starring actress Angelina Jolie . The feature film “Maria” directed by Chilean Pablo Larraín (“Jackie” and “Spencer”), was shown for the first time at the Venice Film Festival on August 29.
The plot, which has a script by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”), is set in Paris in the 1970s and tells the story of the tragic and tumultuous life of Maria Callas, narrating her last days. The film does not yet have a release date in Brazil.
The singer was born in New York in 1923 and was the daughter of Greek immigrants who, experiencing financial difficulties, returned with her to their homeland in 1937. In Athens, she began her career in opera while still a student, a precursor to what she would show the world over the next three decades. She starred in productions by the likes of Wagner and Bellini and became immortalized as one of the greatest singers in the history of the genre.
The decline of her career coincided with problems in her personal life that triggered a serious case of depression and anxiety that she lived with until her death and that was portrayed in Larraín’s film. In 1960, she became pregnant by her husband, the Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis, and gave birth to a boy who died after birth. From then on, Callas tried to get pregnant several times without success.
In 1968, after years of crisis, Onassis ended his marriage with the singer to marry Jackeline Kennedy, widow of former US President John F. Kennedy, whose life was portrayed in another film directed by the Chilean (“Jackie”). At the same time, Callas began to accumulate a series of unfinished performances that were given against medical recommendations.
The American actress died in 1977, at the age of 53, after suffering a heart attack. “Maria,” starring Jolie, will focus on the end of the singer’s life and will feature live versions of Sallas singing and scenes in which the actress appears singing. For the film, the “Maleficent” star had to train opera for seven monthsin addition to working on your posture, breathing and accent. See other artists who will be getting biopics .
Watch the teaser for “Maria”
*With information from Giovana Christ and Marina Toledo, from CNN
See also: Meet Hollywood’s “nepo babies”
This content was originally published in Meet Maria Callas, opera singer played by Angelina Jolie on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
