Directed by Tom Volf
Starring Fanny Ardant, Joyce DiDonato and Maria Callas
Running time 1 hour and 53 minutes
MPAA rating: PG for mild thematic elements, some smoking and brief language

by Deborah Krieger

I vaguely remember being lulled to sleep as a child by the harmonies of the Flower Duet from Lakmé, and I’ve seen The Barber of Seville and Porgy and Bess performed live, so my knowledge of opera is existent, but quite slight. Because of that, I have to think that Maria by Callas is for people who would consider themselves genuine opera enthusiasts aching for one of its most prominent stars, Maria Callas, in her own words and not really for me. Maria by Callas has no interviews about her with prominent opera singers, music critics, or historians reflecting on her life and legacy, as in conventional documentaries about famous people. After a laborious, multi-year process that involved getting his hands on letters, home video footage, and photographs, director Tom Volf has compiled a nearly two-hour summary of Maria Callas’ life on her own terms.