The life and tumultuous emotions of one of the 20th century’s most iconic opera singers, Maria Callas, are brought to the screen in Pablo Larraín’s evocative new film, Maria. Starring Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie in a performance that has already garnered a Golden Globe nomination, the film delves into the final days of the celebrated soprano as she grapples with her identity and her extraordinary life. The journalist’s poignant question, “Tell me how it felt to be onstage,” is met with Callas’s intense reply, “An exultation. An intoxication. I thought the stage itself would burn,” perfectly encapsulating the passion and pressure that defined her career. This powerful portrayal of an artist at a crossroads is a significant addition to Larraín’s body of work exploring iconic women.
The Vision Behind Maria
Renowned Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, known for his critically acclaimed films such as Jackie, Spencer, and the recent Oscar-nominated El Conde, directs Maria. This project marks a deeply personal endeavor for Larraín, who grew up with opera introduced to him by his mother. He describes the film as “a creative imagining and psychological portrait of Maria Callas who, after dedicating her life to performing for audiences around the world, decides finally to find her own voice, her own identity, and sing for herself.” This exploration of women living under the intense scrutiny of fame connects Maria thematically with Larraín’s previous works, forming a powerful trilogy.
Angelina Jolie’s Transformative Performance
For Angelina Jolie, stepping into the shoes of Maria Callas was a unique and profound experience. “I’ve never played a performer before,” Jolie commented. She noted the challenge and honor of embodying Callas, stating, “It was me trying to understand why she made those performance choices.” Jolie developed a deep respect for Callas’s resilience, particularly highlighting the singer’s struggles with her eyesight late in life. “When you understand that, you see this person’s survival instinct. It wasn’t that she just wanted to be this; she had to survive and hide it and find a way around it and work twice as hard.” Jolie’s own impressive acting range has been showcased in acclaimed roles, including her Academy Award-winning performance in Girl, Interrupted, and her diverse filmography features Changeling, The Good Shepherd, Maleficent, and Those Who Wish Me Dead.
A Collaborative Artistic Vision
Maria is a testament to strong creative partnerships. The film reunites Larraín with cinematographer Edward Lachman, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his evocative work on El Conde and was previously nominated for Carol and Far from Heaven. Additionally, the screenplay is penned by Steven Knight, who previously collaborated with Larraín on Spencer and is renowned for creating the popular series Peaky Blinders.
The Narrative and Release of Maria
The film follows Maria Callas as she retreats to Paris, seeking a life beyond the relentless public gaze that defined her glamorous yet tumultuous career. It offers a reimagining of the legendary diva’s final days, focusing on her quest to reconcile her public persona with her private self.
Maria premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 29 and is now available for streaming on Netflix.
The Soundtrack: A Voice of Her Own
The original motion picture soundtrack for Maria, released by Warner Classics, features restored audio from Callas’s iconic performances. While the film masterfully blends Jolie’s voice with Callas’s to create an immersive audiovisual experience, the soundtrack highlights nine operas featured in the movie. These include celebrated arias such as “Casta Diva” from Norma, “Vissi D’arte” from Tosca, and “Sempre Libera” from La Traviata, alongside pieces from Gianni Schicchi, La Wally, Medea, I Puritani, Anna Bolena, and Otello. Jolie emphasized the centrality of music to Callas’s existence, stating, “The music was her life. Her relationship to her voice and her body, her ability to sing, her presence onstage, and her communication with the audience — it was her life. It was the key to her as well.”
Notable Cast and Accolades
The cast of Maria features Academy Award nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Valeria Golino, among others. The film has already garnered significant recognition, with Angelina Jolie receiving a Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama nomination at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards. Furthermore, Ed Lachman’s cinematography for Maria has earned a nomination for the 97th Academy Awards for Best Cinematography.
The narrative of Maria serves as a compelling exploration of fame, identity, and artistic legacy, offering audiences a deeply intimate look at a legendary figure through the eyes of acclaimed filmmakers and a captivating lead performance. Discover more about the best Angelina Jolie movies on Netflix and explore other Angelina Jolie action movies on Netflix.