UK Premiere: Mary, Marianna, Maria: The Unsung Greek Years of Callas
February 19 | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
“A fascinating, as well as moving film, bound to be a revelation for many people” – Marie-Aude Roux, Le Monde
Join us for the UK premiere of Mary, Marianna, Maria: The Unsung Greek Years of Callas. The documentary sheds light on Maria Callas’ life in Greece during her early years and her coming of age as a woman and as an artist in Athens during World War II and the years after 1957 when the internationally renowned diva reconnected with Greece.
The Greek National Opera’s documentary, conceived, researched, and written by Vasilis Louras, directed by Michalis Asthenidis and Vasilis Louras, and produced by Stella Angeletou, brings to light valuable archival material and reveals, for the first time, the last rehearsal recording that Maria Callas made at her home in Paris a month prior to her passing. Her foremost artistic achievements and little-known debuts, the figures who influenced her, and the major landmarks in her development as an artist are all explored – as well as the prevailing social and political circumstances in Greece during World War II, the Greek Civil War milieu of the 1940s and 19’50s, and the unjust attacks she endured. These key narrative threads tell the story of the troubled, novel-like life of Callas, who always walked the line between tragedy and triumph.
This documentary seeks to tell the story of Callas’ early years – the story of a triumph achieved through strength of character and talent, hard work and dedication, a story that saw her defy every difficulty and the abusive behaviour she faced. We are delighted that a discussion and Q&A with directors Vasilis Louras and Michalis Asthenidis and producer Stella Angeletou will follow the screening.
The event is supported by AEGEAN, the Hellenic Centre’s official air carrier.
Image credit: Still from the documentary Mary, Marianna, Maria: The Unsung Greek Years of Callas
