Maria by Callas
{{Short description|2017 documentary}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Maria by Callas
| image = MariabyCallas.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Tom Volf
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Emmanuelle Lepers
- Gaël Leblang
- Emmanuel Chain
- Thierry Bizot
- Tom Volf
}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| music =
| cinematography =
| studio =
| distributor = {{ill|Haut et Court|fr}}
| released = {{Film date|2017|11|01|Rome Film Festival|2017|12|13|France}}
| runtime = 113 minutes
| country = France
| language = English, French, Italian
| budget =
| gross = $1.3 million{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mariabycallas.htm|title=Maria by Callas|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=2018-12-13}}
}}
Maria by Callas is a 2017 French documentary film about the life and career of opera singer Maria Callas, written and directed by Tom Volf.{{cite web|url=https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2018/12/11/maria-by-callas-opera-singer-documentary|title=Maria By Callas: The Legendary Opera Singer's Life In Her Own Words|author1=Jane Clayson|author2=Tom Volf|author3=Gregor Benko|type=50-minute interview|publisher=WBUR|date=2018-12-11|access-date=2024-04-10}}
Synopsis
The film depicts the life and work of opera singer Maria Callas in her own words by using her interviews, letters, and performances to tell her story.{{cite web|url=http://radio.wosu.org/post/maria-callas-documentary-tells-sopranos-story-her-own-words#stream/0|title=Maria by Callas Documentary Tells Soprano's Story in Her Own Words|author=Christopher Purdy|publisher=WOSA|date=2018-12-14|access-date=2018-12-16}} Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs—nearly all of which have never been shown to the public—the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time. Opera singer Joyce DiDonato reads her letters and unpublished memoirs; Fanny Ardant narrates in the French version.[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/maria-by-callas-2018 "Maria by Callas "] by Monica Castillo, 2 November 2018, RogerEbert.com
Release
Maria by Callas premiered at the Rome Film Festival and at the La Baule Film & Score Festival in November 2017.[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/maria-by-callas-director-says-film-objectively-depicts-opera-singer-1054607 "Maria by Callas Director Says Film Objectively Depicts Opera Singer"] by Ariston Anderson, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 November 2017[https://sonyclassics.com/mariabycallas/mariabycallas_presskit.pdf Maria by Callas], press kit, p. 16, Sony Pictures Classic The film had a release in France on December 13, 2017. The film had a limited release in the United States on November 2, 2018. It was shown on BBC Four on Christmas Day 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qphk|title=Maria by Callas|publisher=BBC Four}}
Critical reception
The film has earned high critical praise.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/movies/maria-by-callas-review.html|title=Review: Demystifying a Diva in Maria by Callas|author=Ben Kenigsberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2018-11-01|access-date=2018-12-16}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/maria-by-callas-film-review-opera-documentary/ |title=Maria by Callas Film Review: Opera Legend Maria Callas' Life, Told in Her Own Words|author=Dave White|work=TheWrap|date= 2018-11-02|access-date=2018-12-13}}{{cite news|url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/new-documentary-maria-by-callas-a-total-treat-for-callas-lovers |title=New Maria Callas documentary is a treat for opera diva's devotees|author=Mick LaSalle|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date= 2018-11-08|access-date=2018-12-14}} Maria by Callas currently has a score of 92% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes from 73 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Maria by Callas offers an intimate look at the life of a brilliantly talented artist whose absorbing story matches the operatic heights reached by her work.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maria_by_callas/|title=Maria by Callas (2018)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|access-date=May 22, 2019}}
Based on the film, the one-woman-show Maria Callas: Letters & Memoirs starring Monica Bellucci was shown at the Beacon Theatre in New York on 27 January 2023.{{Cite web |last=Pingitore |first=Silvia |date=2023-01-15 |title=Exclusive interview with Monica Bellucci |url=https://the-shortlisted.co.uk/monica-bellucci-interview/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=the-shortlisted.co.uk}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/arts/music/monica-bellucci-maria-callas.html|access-date=11 April 2024|title=Monica Bellucci Tries on the Dress, and Life, of Maria Callas|author=Elizabeth Vincentelli|newspaper=The New York Times|date=25 January 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://sonyclassics.com/mariabycallas/}}
- {{IMDb title|7364566|Maria by Callas}}
- {{rotten-tomatoes|maria_by_callas|Maria by Callas}}
- {{mojo title|mariabycallas|Maria by Callas}}
Category:2017 documentary films
Category:French documentary films
Category:Documentary films about singers
Category:Documentary films about classical music and musicians
Category:2010s Italian-language films
Category:2010s French-language films
Category:Sony Pictures Classics films
Category:Documentary films about women in music
Category:2010s English-language films
Category:2017 multilingual films