Maria (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Maria, a film about the soprano Maria Callas set in Paris during the final days of her tumultuous life, is a visual and aural feast. Each shot, internal or external, is informed by intense research into all aspects of her life, on- and off-stage, while the soundtrack is glorious proof of Callas’ magnetic talent, her voice possessing the expressive potential of myriad opera characters. We get to hear a selection of most famous recorded moments, including “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, “Casta diva” from Bellini’s Norma, and a beautiful version of “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s Tosca, perhaps the most breathtaking example of Callas’ fragile art. Here, as if embarking on a nostalgic journey, a modern piano solo melts almost unnoticed into Callas’ breathtaking performance. Elsewhere, orchestral interludes, choruses, spoken-word extracts and jazz give us a whistle-stop tour of some of the film’s dramatic moments.