The Stories about Music Films: 16. Callas Forever (2002)

Basic Info

Title: Callas Forever

Genre: Drama

Country: Italy, France, Spain, UK, Romania

Language: English, French, Italian

Running time: 108 minutes

Release date: 2002

Staff

Director: Franco Zeffirelli

Producer: Riccardo Tozzi, Giovannella Zannoni

Written by: Franco Zeffirelli, Martin Sherman

Music: Alessio Vlad

Cinematography: Ennio Guarnieri

Edited by: Sean Barton

Cast

Fanny Ardant as Maria Callas

Jeremy Irons as Larry Kelly

Joan Plowright as Sarah Keller

Jay Rodan as Michael

Gabriel Garko as Marco

Anna Lelio as Bruna

Stephen Billington as Brendan

Justino Díaz as Scarpia

Summary

"Callas Forever" is a 2002 biographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, who co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Sherman. This film is an homage to Zeffirelli's friend and internationally famous opera Diva Maria Callas. Zeffirelli was the stage director of Norma, La traviata, and Tosca of Maria Callas. It was also his last film who died in 2019.

Plot

The background of the film is set in 1977, the year of the death of Callas, and the main content of the film is the making of a movie of Georges Bizet's Carmen. 

Callas, who currently lost her voice at her heyday a long time ago, is persuaded to star in the film Carmen by her longtime friend and former manager, Larry Kelly, who abandoned classical music and became a performance planner for rock music. He insists by lip-synching to her old recorded voices to the film to regain her lost youth and leave a valuable legacy for her fans, and his theory is support by Callas' closest acquaintances and journalist Sarah Keller.

When the film is complete, Callas restores her passion for music and faith in herself. After that, she refuses to lip-synch more filmed operas, but agrees to star in the edited film of Tosca if it is filmed live using her own voice. However, when the financial sponsor of the film production canceled the contract, Callas demands Larry to destroy Carmen, arguing that if it is released, it would dishonor her legacy of true and honest performances.

Movie Review

“Very beautiful”
“Fascinating film”
“A truly great movie”
“A thrilling experience”
“A superb movie!”

Interesting stories about the film

1. The part of the plot about Maria Callas, who makes a movie of "Carmen" in this film, is completely fictional.
2. The film was produced in Bucharest in Romania, Córdoba in Andalusia, Spain, and Paris.
3. The film was nominated for a Goya Award in Spain and a Silver Ribbon by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists for costume designs.

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