Angelina Jolie, who stars as the late opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s film Maria, received an emotional eight-minute standing ovation at the film’s premiere on August 29 at the Sala Grande Theater during the 2024 Venice Film Festival.
Moved by the audience’s response, the 49-year-old Jolie was visibly teary-eyed as the applause continued after the film’s conclusion. She wiped away tears as she exited the theater.
To portray Callas, one of history’s greatest sopranos, Jolie underwent rigorous training in opera singing. Maria depicts Callas’s final days in Paris, grappling with an addiction to anti-anxiety medication while reflecting on her extraordinary career and personal struggles.
Jolie described the role as the most challenging of her career, highlighting her intense preparation.
“It was like being on another planet because it was so far beyond what I was comfortable with, both as a person and an artist,” she told Reuters before the film’s premiere.
Jolie, an Academy Award winner with over 60 films to her credit, including Girl, Interrupted, initially underestimated the demands of performing opera. She spent seven months training intensively, realizing that mastering opera was far beyond simply mimicking singing. “You can’t fake opera,” she said.
Larraín noted that while Callas’s prime voice in the film is drawn from her original recordings, Jolie’s voice is prominently featured during Callas’s later years. “She practiced from morning to night, and it was deeply moving for us,” said Alba Rohrwacher, who plays Callas’s devoted housekeeper.
Larraín, who also directed Jackie and Spencer, hopes the film will reignite interest in opera, a genre that has waned in popularity since Callas’s death in 1977.
“We hope this film will inspire people to explore opera, whether it’s a few or many,” he said.
Maria is competing for the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, which continues through September 7.
