Behind the Scenes of Operatic Maria Callas Biopic

The grand opera houses of Europe are on show in Maria, the operatic biography of Maria Callas, which follows the life story of the world’s greatest opera singer, Maria Callas, during her final days in 1970s Paris.

Boasting gorgeous European locations, the film was nominated for a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Filming in Europe involved extensive location shooting across Paris, Milan, Greece, and Budapest, with a focus on capturing the grandeur of iconic opera houses where Callas performed and which have no substitute with a film set.

For example, Callas appeared in more than two dozen productions at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. It is in that Northern Italian city that she rose to become opera’s leading lady. No opera house has been more instrumental to the enduring myth of Maria Callas as La Scala Opera House.

Maria Callas is one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century. Callas is particularly meaningful to gay men, and she has influenced many gay artists, such as Terrence McNally, who wrote Masterclass about her. But she has arguably never been fully portrayed onscreen, as she is now by Academy Award–winner Angelina Jolie, directed by auteur Pablo Larraín (Spencer, Jackie).

Acclaimed director Pablo Larraín’s operatic Maria, with Jolie looking wonderful in the title role, comes to Netflix in December. The film follows the legendary American Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life and comes to terms with the consequences of her identity and career.

Maria premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2024, where it competed for the Golden Lion. Filming began in Budapest in October 2023, with other filming locations, including Paris, Greece, and Milan. The attention to detail is already acclaimed with one reviewer pointing out the absorbing, haunting atmosphere of Maria’s Paris 1977 apartment.

Academy Award-winning actor Jolie burst onto the scene in Girl, Interrupted and shortly came out as bisexual thereafter has incredible range as an actress (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Maleficent) and as a producer (The Outsiders Musical).  

Jolie previously shared during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival that she was anxious about singing in the role. “I was terribly nervous; I spent almost seven months training,” Jolie revealed.

“Tell me how it felt to be onstage,” the journalist played by Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) says to Maria Callas in the new trailer for Maria. “An exultation,” she responds. “An intoxication. I thought the stage itself would burn.”

Renowned Chilean filmmaker Larraín is known for Jackie, Spencer, No, Neruda, and 2023’s El Conde, which earned a Best Cinematography Oscar nomination. Larraín says of Maria, “This film is my most personal work yet. It is 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. I’m deeply honored to tell this story and share it with audiences worldwide like Maria did with her life.”

Maria marks another collaboration between Larraín and Ed Lachman, his El Conde cinematographer (who also won accolades shooting the lesbian film Carol). Adding to the queer appeal are cast members Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Valeria Golino, who was terrific in the 2019 lesbian classic Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Check out the stunning poster art, below.

Maria will be in select theaters on November 27 and stream on Netflix on December 11.