What to Know About the Real Maria Callas, the Soprano Played by Angelina Jolie in Netflix’s Maria

As a seasoned movie buff with a penchant for biopics that delve deep into the lives of legendary figures, I must say that the Netflix film “Maria” has piqued my interest. Having watched numerous films on iconic artists and their tumultuous journeys, it’s refreshing to see a portrayal that focuses on the twilight years of Maria Callas’ life rather than her peak performances.

Maria Callas (1923-1977), a figure frequently acclaimed as one of the exceptional sopranos from the 20th century, is renowned primarily for her operatic roles in “Medea,” “Tosca,” and “La Traviata.” Her fame reached such heights that TIME magazine bestowed upon her the title of “the undisputed queen of the world’s opera” on their October 29, 1956 cover.

However, the Netflix biopic featuring Angelina Jolie as Callas, which premieres on December 11th, does not depict Callas during her peak career years. Instead, it portrays a time near the end of her life. The story unfolds in Paris during the final week of Callas’s life when she seems to be reminiscing often, as she feels there is little left to anticipate.

What to Know About the Real Maria Callas, the Soprano Played by Angelina Jolie in Netflix’s Maria

A biographical movie about her life might have been a cherished realization for the singer from New York, seeing as she enjoyed being the main focus, as suggested by Callas’s biographers. However, this film doesn’t idealize Callas but instead shows her as melancholic and isolated. TIME magazine delves into the reasons behind her profound darkness in her final days.

Callas’s mental health

Known for her grand self-perception, Callas was fond of making declarations like, “I visit restaurants to be admired.” In one instance, she boasted about penning an autobiography and an aria, although these works were never actually produced in reality.

During her performances, she often made quite a spectacle. As Lyndsy Spence, author of Cast a Diva: The Hidden Life of Maria Callas, puts it, “she was well-known for leaning over and shaking her fist when the audience was hissing or booing.” Her temper could be quite volatile, as evidenced by numerous instances in the book Maria where her character is portrayed as having little tolerance for people.

During the duration of the movie, Callas seems to imagine television cameras trailing her, and acts as if she’s participating in an interview despite no one being present. In the film, she occasionally takes Mandrax, a potent sedative known for causing hallucinations, and it’s worth noting that she was indeed addicted to this drug in reality.

Following a conversation with the daughter of Callas’s neurologist, Spencer speculates that the singer might have suffered from a neurological condition resembling Multiple Sclerosis. As her life came to an end, Callas found it increasingly difficult to control her voice and gain the necessary strength for singing, eventually leading to a situation where she could no longer bear it, Spencer notes. Towards the closing stages of her life, Callas resorted to self-medication in an attempt to alleviate her symptoms; however, this resulted in addiction to prescription drugs, one of which was Mandrax.

Paul Wink, a psychology professor at Wellesley College and author of the book “Prima Donna: The Psychology of Maria Callas“, posits that if she were alive today, she might be diagnosed with depression and substance abuse issues. He states emphatically that she died in a state of addiction and despair.

Callas and Aristotle Onassis

The romantic entanglement between Callas and Aristotle Onassis, a prominent Greek tycoon in shipping, might serve as the storyline for an opera. Ironically, he held no affection for opera itself, yet was captivated by its grandeur and glamour.

According to John Louis DiGaetani, author of “The Definitive Diva: The Life and Career of Maria Callas“, he mentioned that what she enjoyed most was the post-party event, where she and her companion would be the main focus, receiving attention backstage.

In the film’s portrayal, it was revealed that Callas learned about his departure from her when she saw the news on TV in Paris, as he chose to marry Jacqueline Kennedy, the widow of the assassinated President John F. Kennedy instead.

“He’s a collector of rich and famous women,” Spence says.

At some point, there were whispers that Callas was expecting a child from Onassis. However, the biographers consulted by TIME could not find any concrete evidence to support this claim. Yet, if Callas had been pregnant with anyone’s child, it would likely have been Onassis’.

In the film, Onassis is expressed, “Jackie was his wife, but you, Callas, were his soul.” The union between Onassis and Kennedy wasn’t a fulfilling one. When Onassis eventually recognized Callas as the love of his existence, it was past the point of reviving their relationship. Regrettably, he passed away in 1975. The grief over this loss never truly left Callas.

Callas at the end of her life

In my perspective, as a passionate film aficionado, I’d say Callas was deeply melancholic, disenchanted, and frankly, exhausted during her last chapter of life, much like how Spence portrays her.

In the film, just like in reality, she primarily engaged in card games with her butler and maid, as well as caring for her beloved pets.

She had a strained relationship with her family, primarily due to her mother’s overbearing ambition to make a profit from her daughter’s singing talent, pushing her into the opera. In one movie scene, her mother asks for financial assistance, and there is some truth in that claim. As per Spence, her father falsely claimed he had cancer and required her help with his medical expenses at one point.

She found it difficult to discover personal fulfillment beyond the opera; instead, her life became entwined with Onassis, who essentially replaced the opera as her primary focus. It would have been rewarding for her to develop a unique self-identity, but she couldn’t manage it. This is why she felt despondent and resorted to taking Mandrax and leading a secluded life.

53-year-old Callas was discovered deceased in her Parisian residence, with the unfortunate incident being attributed to a heart attack.

2024-12-11 17:06

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