‘Maria’: First clip of Angelina Jolie as opera star Maria Callas in new biopic

29 August 2024, 09:18

Angelina Jolie stars as Maria Callas in MARIA promo clip

Maria Callas, one of the greatest opera voices of all time, is portrayed by Angelina Jolie in an upcoming biopic which premieres today in Venice.

A teaser clip of Maria, a new biopic about Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, has been released ahead of the film’s debut in Venice.

The scene shows the opera diva disagreeing with her staff about taking her medication, during her final days.

Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria tells “the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris”.

A leading exponent of the bel canto works of Bellini and Rossini, Callas was also widely celebrated for her Verdi and Puccini interpretations.

The New York-born Greek soprano spent the last years of her life living in isolation in Paris. She died of a heart attack aged just 53, leaving behind the legacy of her beautiful recordings to inspire singers of the future.

Read more: Maria Callas biopic – cast, plot release date and music revealed

Callas’ story has also been coloured by events in her personal life, including her relationship with Aristotle Onassis who left her to marry Jackie Kennedy, the former first lady of the United States.

The new biopic Maria is directed by Pablo Larraín, who directed the 2016 biopic Jackie starring Natalie Portman as Mrs Kennedy.

Larraín said working with Jolie was “a true gift”. He added: “Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream. To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity.”

Read more: First look at ‘Maria’ biopic as Angelina Jolie becomes legendary opera star Maria Callas

Joining Jolie in the cast are Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Stephen Ashfield, and Valeria Golino.

Shooting took place over eight weeks across Europe, in Paris, Budapest, Milan, and parts of Greece.

Maria debuts on 29 August at the Venice Film Festival, which runs until 7 September. Netflix has acquired the US rights to the film, which is already seeing Jolie tipped for a Best Actress award.