Maria By Callas (2017)

Maria By Callas: Directed by Tom Volf. With Fanny Ardant, Joyce DiDonato, Maria Callas, David Frost. An intimate look at the life and work of Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas, as told in her own words.

“In one part of this documentary on the life and career of Maria Callas, she is returning to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House, in NYC, after a 7 year absence and a TV reporter is interviewing some of Callasu0026#39; devoted fans who have been sleeping in line all night to be able to purchase tickets. One enthusiastic young man says that she is just magnetic on stage and has the greatest singing voice of the century. After viewing this film I would agree with him on both counts.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe doc, directed by Tom Volf, is a tribute to the complex and highly intelligent Callas, and much of the movie is told through her own words, vintage film clips, and some parts of her mesmerizing onstage performances. Iu0026#39;ll readily admit Iu0026#39;m not a follower of opera but when Callas sang and acted onstage it was truly incredible with her range and charisma.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThereu0026#39;s also, once she reached superstar status, the constant invasion of her privacy by the paparazzi (of course, decades before social media) , only heightened when she began a long relationship with the billionaire Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Even more so when he left her to marry Jackie Kennedy, only to return to Callas before his death.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall, although the doc is perhaps overly long at just under 2 hours, I just found Callasu0026#39; persona and life story to be quite fascinating.”