Moviola > Films > Callas Forever

Callas Forever  (15)   111 mins

Director Franco Zeffirelli claims that the three most important women of the 20th century are Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher and Maria Callas. He himself worked with Callas, bringing her back on one of her comebacks and famously directing her in Tosca at Covent Garden in 1964.  In this fictionalised account of the last days of her life, her erstwhile manager Larry Kelly (Jeremy Irons), concerned by her depressed state, approaches her with a view to making a film of Carmen.  Her voice is no longer up to it - the result of a throat disease - but there are recordings of her singing from 22 years earlier and Larry's idea is that she should lip-sync.  Initially Callas objects that this is dishonest, but the temptation of the role proves too great and she agrees.  The recreation of the imaginary  Carmen film is simply stunning, in part of course owing to the amazing quality of the original Callas recording, but also to Fanny Ardant's performance in the title role.  She looks marvellous (in clothes by Chanel), and she brilliantly conveys Callas's insecurity, her passion and her legendary temper.

"For Callas lovers, it doesn't get much better than this. The movie is rich with music and more than a few moments of painful exaltation, where the breath catches, the eyes fill and the skin tingles."  San Francisco Chronicle

www.callasforever-themovie.com/

Last modified: 21-Dec-2009

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