Angelina Jolie’s Big Leap into Opera: Transforming into Maria Callas
When Angelina Jolie announced she’d be portraying Maria Callas, widely regarded as the greatest opera star in history, movie fans were instantly intrigued. Taking on this legendary figure would already be a daunting task for any actor—but for Jolie, the biggest challenge lay in mastering the art of opera singing for her role in the upcoming film, Maria.
“The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done”
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, Jolie admitted that learning to sing opera has been more challenging than any stunt or emotional scene she’s encountered in her storied career:
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I was terrified. I had not sung in public before and trained for almost seven months.”
Opera, after all, demands a specialized technique that requires precise pitch, color, breathing, and posture. For Jolie, taking on such a demanding musical style at this stage in her career represented both a personal and professional milestone.
Seven Months of Vocal Training
Jolie spent nearly seven months honing her voice, working with vocal coaches to understand how to channel the complexity of Callas’s iconic singing style. In the film, director Pablo Larraín has creatively blended Jolie’s voice with actual recordings of Callas, a method that added extra pressure:
“When you work with Pablo you can’t do anything by half. He demands, in the most wonderful way, that you really do the work and really learn and train.”
These words highlight the filmmaker’s commitment to authenticity, ensuring that Maria captures the essence of Callas’s legacy rather than merely replicating it.
Praise at the Venice Film Festival
At the Venice Film Festival, where the movie was unveiled to critics, initial reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. Several reviewers praised Jolie’s transformation, suggesting that her portrayal of Maria Callas could make her a strong contender in the upcoming Oscar race for Best Actress. The early buzz underscores not only Jolie’s star power, but her dedication to capturing the nuances of Callas’s life, voice, and spirit.
An Oscar-Worthy Performance?
With the film drawing critical acclaim and Jolie’s performance generating awards chatter, the stage is set for what could be one of her most celebrated roles. If the Oscars end up echoing the enthusiasm from Venice, Maria might become another milestone in Jolie’s illustrious career—this time for her ability to seamlessly merge theatricality, vocal prowess, and the emotional depth required to embody an operatic legend.
Originally written by Sandro Monetti and reformatted for the International Film Maker Magazine Blog.