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Angelina Jolie returned to the screen through Netflix's 2024 biopic Maria, portraying the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. Known for her roles in Maleficent and Girl, Interrupted, Jolie stepped into the emotionally charged role of the soprano in her twilight years. The movie was premiered on Netflix on December 11, 2024.
For the unversed, Angelina Jolie sang in Maria, with her voice blended with Maria Callas's original recordings. Directed by Pablo Larraín, the filmmaker behind Jackie and Spencer, the movie premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival before its Netflix release.
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Paris, the movie captures the final days of Callas, blending moments of grandeur with vulnerability as it explores her fading health, complex relationships, and inner turmoil..
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Angeline Jolie's singing in Maria explored
Yes, Angelina Jolie sang in Maria. However, her singing is seamlessly blended with original recordings of Maria Callas to preserve the authenticity of the opera singer's voice. Director Pablo Larraín crafted a unique audio experience where Jolie's voice is prominently featured during scenes depicting Callas' later years.
In contrast, Callas' original recordings dominate the sequences that showcase her at the height of her career.
Jolie's preparation for the role was intense, involving seven months of vocal training to perform opera. While she was not expected to replicate Callas' legendary voice, her singing provided a critical foundation for the film's musical authenticity.
In an interview with IndieWire published on September 30, 2024, Larraín explained that the blend varied throughout the movie. According to him, Jolie's voice accounted for anywhere between 1% to 70% of the final mix, depending on the emotional and narrative requirements of each scene.
For Larraín, Callas' original recordings were essential to capturing the authenticity of her legacy. Songs such as Ave Maria from Verdi's Otello and Vissi d'arte from Puccini's Tosca were directly drawn from Callas' performances, ensuring her iconic sound remains at the heart of the film.
However, Jolie's live singing played a crucial role in creating a believable performance. This approach ensured her physicality and emotional engagement matched the intensity of the opera scenes.
“Angelina had to sing out loud in front of her crew and hundreds of extras,” Larraín explained in an interview with IndieWire.
Who is Maria, and what is the film about and more details
Maria Callas, considered one of the greatest opera singers of all time, was a Greek-American soprano celebrated for her extraordinary vocal range, dramatic presence, and deeply emotive performances. The film focuses on the final years of her life, set in Paris during the 1970s.
Struggling with declining health and grappling with a sense of isolation, Callas reflects on her past triumphs and personal losses. The narrative is shaped by her interactions with her loyal butler, Ferruccio, and her devoted maid, Bruna, while hallucinations and vivid memories blur the lines between reality and imagination.
Rather than a traditional biopic, Maria offers a deeply introspective look at Callas' inner world through its musical sequences, designed to echo her psychological state.
Central to the story is Callas' connection to her music, which serves as both a source of solace and a painful reminder of the life she once lived.
Filmed across locations like Paris, Budapest, Milan's La Scala opera house, and Greece, the movie captures the grandeur and tragedy of Callas' life. The film's production design, led by Guy Hendrix Dyas, recreated the 1940s to 1970s aesthetic with meticulous attention to detail.
Even the costumes, based on Callas' original wardrobe, were sourced thoughtfully to align with ethical standards, with PETA consulting on vintage fur pieces, as per Refinery29.
Who else stars in the movie?
Angelina Jolie leads an international cast as the lead. Pierfrancesco Favino portrays Ferruccio, Callas' steadfast butler and confidant, while Alba Rohrwacher takes on the role of Bruna, her loyal housemaid. Haluk Bilginer plays Aristotle Onassis, the shipping magnate with whom Callas shared a famously tumultuous love affair.
Other performances include Kodi Smit-McPhee as Mandrax, a figment of Callas' hallucinations, and Valeria Golino as Yakinthi, Callas' estranged older sister.
The film also delves into moments from the soprano's past through Aggelina Papadopoulou's portrayal of young Callas, offering glimpses into her early struggles and rise to fame.
Alessandro Bressanello plays Giovanni Battista Meneghini, her former husband, and Caspar Phillipson makes a brief appearance as John F. Kennedy, hinting at the connections Callas once had with powerful figures of her era.
Interested viewers can watch the movie exclusively on Netflix.
