Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Maria!
Pablo Larrain’sMariahas finally been released, and here is what happened to Maria Callas' voice, including when and why it declined. Maria Callas is one of the most legendary opera singers of all time, with her being an acclaimed performer known all around the world from the late 1940s to the 1970s.Mariahas managed to introduce an all-new audience to the works of Maria Callas, with the film tackling the latter years of the acclaimed performer’s life, including her vocal decline.
Mariais the third film in Pablo Larrain’s critically acclaimed trilogythat focuses on influential 20th-century women, with it following up onJackieandSpencer. Much like Larrain’s previous two films,Mariauses fictional storylinesto delve into what lies beneath the public image of the film’s titular character, withMariaexploring some of the most notable moments from Callas' latter years.Mariaattempts to paint a sympathetic picture of its protagonist, with the story of her vocal loss being one of the film’s most tragic arcs.
When Maria Callas' Voice Began To Decline & How That Changed Her Opera Career
It Started In The Mid-1950s
Maria Callas' voice famously began to decline during the second half of her career, with this having a major impact on her opera career.Critics first began to notice Callas' vocal decline in 1954, although she was still beloved by audiences. As time went on, more and more people began to notice her vocal decline, with this contributing to her decision to quit singing opera after her final performance on July 16, 2025.
Maria 2024 Ending Explained: How Maria Callas Died & The Real Meaning Of Her Swan Song
The ending of Netflix’s 2024 biopic Maria displays Maria Callas’s emotional swan song “Vissi d’arte” portrayed by Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie.
The vocal loss of Maria Callascame on top of the various controversies that are covered inMaria, with these events hurting her public image. Although Callas still had a fantastic voice, the damage that her voice had undergone throughout the years hurt her reputation with the public, eventually leading to her retirement.
Maria Callas' Vocal Decline Has Been Attributed To Straining Opera Roles, Menopause & Rapid Weight Loss
It Is Probably A Combination Of Many Factors
Although there has been no definitive answer, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding what led to Maria Callas' vocal decline.John Ardoin’s bookThe Callas Legacygoes into some of these theories, with the most popular one being that the vocal decline started with her weight loss. Maria Callas lost 80 pounds between 1953 and 1954, with her vocal decline beginning to appear around this same time.
How Old Maria Callas Was When She Died
Angelina Jolie’s biopic, Maria, depicts the life of the legendary opera singer during her final days— so, how old was she when she died?
Maria Callas also took some incredibly challenging opera roles throughout her early years, with some believing that these damaged her voice permanently. Callas' husband even speculated that the vocal decline came from an early menopause. There are all kinds of things that could have affected Callas' voice in her latter years, andMariadecides not to give a definitive answer.
Maria
Cast
Maria(2024) is a biographical drama about opera singer Maria Callas, directed by Pablo Larraín, starring Angelina Jolie. It concludes Larraín’s trilogy on iconic women.
