Becoming Maria: Latest Doc on Greek Years of Callas Landing Soon

On the evening of August 5, 1957, as the Athenian night settled over the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a woman stepped onto the stage. Draped in elegance and armed with a voice that would define an era, she was no longer the young girl who had once struggled in the war-torn Athens. Now, she was Maria Callas, a name that would echo through the halls of operatic history. But long before she became Maria—the legend—she was Mary, and then Marianna, a young girl striving to carve a place for herself in a world of hardship and high art.

Dimitris Methenitis collection – photo A. Simopoulos

It is this journey—the formative and lesser-known Greek years of Maria Callas—that lie at the heart of the highly acclaimed documentary Mary, Marianna, Maria – The Unsung Greek Years of Callas, directed by Michalis Asthenidis and Vasilis Louras.

After a remarkable run at international festivals, where it garnered praise from esteemed media outlets such as Le Monde, La Croix, and Le Figaro, the documentary finally arrives in Athenian cinemas on February 13, offering audiences an intimate glimpse into the defining years of a global icon.

“When I was 14 or 15 and they were founding the Greek National Opera, they showed great faith in me and helped me. This is something I never forgot,” Callas is heard saying in the film. Her words set the tone for a deeply personal narrative that explores her artistic and emotional evolution, from her early training in Athens during World War II to her triumphant return in 1957.

The Three Names, The Three Lives

The documentary’s title draws inspiration from the three names Callas bore at different stages of her life. In 1937, following her parents’ separation, 14-year-old Maria Kalogeropoulou moved with her mother and sister to Athens and enrolled at the Greek National Conservatoire under the name “Mary.” By 1940, she had begun performing at the Greek National Opera, signing her first contract as “Marianna.” It wasn’t until her triumphant return to Greece in 1957, gracing the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, that she became Maria  Callas, the name that would etch itself in musical immortality.

The Struggles of a Young Artist

The documentary sheds light on Callas’ difficult formative and early career years. As a teenager in Athens, she faced economic hardship, war, social scrutiny, and a fraught relationship with her mother. “She gave out comp tickets and got wartime ration sweets in return,” recalls an interviewee. When Litsa Dimitriadou sought to enroll her daughter at the Greek National Conservatoire, she requested lower tuition fees due to their financial struggles. Recognizing Callas’ extraordinary talent, her first teacher, Maria Trivella, not only accepted her but ultimately waived the fees altogether.

Two years later, Callas trained under Spanish coloratura soprano Elvira de Hidalgo at the Athens Conservatoire, where she developed the dramatic soprano voice that would redefine opera. Despite economic struggles, Callas secured minor roles that allowed her to support her family. Her professional debut came in February 1941 at the Greek National Opera (GNO), where she performed as Beatrice in Franz von Suppé’s Boccaccio. Between 1941 and 1945, she appeared in 56 productions of seven operas and gave 20 recitals. As Greece emerged from war, Callas heeded de Hidalgo’s advice to pursue a career in Italy but initially chose to reunite with her father in the United States, departing Athens in 1945.

GNO Medea Callas, Morfoniou 1961 Epidaurus – photo Kleisthenis, GNO Archive

Callas’ Greek Soul: Rare Recordings and Lost Footage

“My blood is Greek, and that is something no one can erase,” Callas declares in the film. The documentary not only explores her artistic journey but also presents unseen archival material, featuring interviews with her colleagues, musicians, and conductors of the era. The Greek National Opera’s Artistic Director, Giorgos Koumendakis, acknowledges her indelible imprint on the institution’s history, stating, “Maria Callas is an integral part of the Greek National Opera’s story.”

New interviews were conducted specially for the purposes of this documentary, with such figures as John C. Bastias, son of the GNO’s Founding Director.

In addition to breathtaking studio and live performances of La Divina, the film unveils two rare, previously unreleased recordings: one from Lefkada island in 1964 and another from Callas’ Paris home in 1977, a haunting relic from the final year of her life.

A Tribute to the Callas Legacy

The documentary is part of the 2023 UNESCO Maria Callas Anniversary initiative, supported by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, and is dedicated to biographer Nikos Petsalis-Diomidis and Polyvios Marchand, whose research has been instrumental in illuminating Callas’ early years in Athens. A co-production of the Greek National Opera and Escape Productions, with distribution through the Greek streaming platform Cinobo, Mary, Marianna, Maria is an accessible experience for all audiences, featuring both Greek and English subtitles.