One of the greatest and celebrated female artists of the twentieth century, the incomparable opera singer Maria Callas, is the subject of a recently released documentary now playing in limited release. Largely told from her perspective and in her own words, the film MARIA BY CALLAS traces her life beginning with her modest background in New York City where her ambitious mother enrolled her in singing classes. With vigorous training and steely determination, she ascends to international opera star and worldwide sensation whose devoted audience braved long lines to see their idol perform in the flesh.

Of course, the truth is much more complicated, and less glamorous; at times the life of Ms. Callas played out like a Greek tragedy. A sense of loss seems to haunt our heroine when she proclaims in an interview: “I would have preferred to have a happy family and had children. I would have given up this career with pleasure, but destiny is destiny and there is no way out.” This is an amazing revelation coming from Callas. Did this ferociously talented woman miss her true calling in life by not being a wife and mother? Did these words accurately reflect her true feelings or were they the words of a woman at the twilight of her career who is now questioning her life choices?

Her inner turmoil begs this question-would Maria Callas have had this dilemma if she were a man? What, if any, role did her gender play in formulating this conflict in her existence? Male opera stars also face similar professional demands, but at least some were able to have happy family lives. Placido Domingo has been happily married to the same woman since 1962 with whom he had two children. Interestingly, his wife gave up her promising career as a singer to be a homemaker. Luciano Pavarotti was married several times and had children with both wives. Apparently, he did not sacrifice a family life for a brilliant, successful career. Why could Maria Callas not have had a family life and a fulfilling vocation? Perhaps the fault lay not in her gender, but in a system that unfairly burdens women with impossible choices. She was not able to reconcile her desire for a domestic life with her great talent because as a mother she wouldn’t have been permitted to pursue a passion as demanding as that of opera singer. She understood the impossible predicament she found herself ensnared in: “There are two people in me. I would like to be Maria, but there is the Callas that I have to live up to.” The disconnect between Maria, her true self, and the persona of Callas is heartbreaking. One can only surmise what sort of toll this took on her psyche and wonder if it contributed to her death at a young age. Her suffering translated into some of the greatest operatic performances ever recorded and the film allows us to fully experience her genius by playing entire arias from operas such as Carmen and Norma, giving us insight as to why she was a legend during her lifetime.

The film never really fully delves into the events that formed her complicated psyche and that is where it falters at times. The director could have explored her personal relationships in more depth particularly in regards to her mother and husband. Maria states that they practically forced her into an opera career with its brutal schedule of live performances, but it is not clear how this transpired. No one can force a person into becoming a great artist particularly when the person in question possesses a strong, fierce personality as Ms. Callas did. She also mentions that she was forced to give up her American citizenship in order to obtain a divorce from her long estranged husband, but again it was not explained what forced her to take such an extreme action to free herself from this relationship.

Watching this film it was apparent Callas suffered a certain amount of indignity in her life because she was female and a great artist at a time when people did not know what to make of a woman who reached such towering heights in such a rarified creative profession. For example, the press labeled her “difficult” and “contemptuous.” The villification of our idol arose from her professionalism and need for perfection. So powerful was her respect for the works of great composers she would not take the stage if she felt she could not give the performance required to bring the character to operatic life. She cancelled a performance of Norma after the first act, due to the fact that she was suffering from bronchitis and could not properly sing the role. If she had been a male opera star she would have been praised for her professionalism and respect for the audience. Alas, as a woman she was portrayed as difficult and her reputation never fully recovered. There is footage of Callas arguing with journalists and it is clear she could stand up for herself when she felt it necessary: “When you push me around I don’t like it.” She possessed a tough personality, but so what? This is hardly a quality that is a detriment to being a great artist. She was an opera singer and you would have to be a bit of a dramatic diva to soar to the greatness demanded of roles as challenging Carmen and Lady Macbeth. Perhaps we need to redefine the word “diva.” Rather than meaning a difficult woman perhaps it should be the word assigned to a strong, determined personality often required to get anything accomplished in life.

Her great talent and artistry won out in the end and her worldwide fan base understood how blessed they were to experience such a unique talent and the personal sacrifices that she made for them. She died way too young, from a heart attack at the age of 53, but like all great artists she lives on forever through her recorded stage performances. A life so intensely lived often ends too soon, but time has only enhanced the legend and appeal of this extraordinary woman.

~Amy