How Old Maria Callas Was When She Died

Netflix's biopic Maria depicts Maria Callas' life before she died at the age of 53. With Angelina Jolie at the helm of the Maria cast, the film, which is set in Paris in the 1970s, chronicles what the legendary opera singer was up to after she left the public eye. Maria initially premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2024, before being released in select theaters and then later added to Netflix's library.

Maria is Jolie's first movie in three years since starring as Thena in Marvel's Eternals. While Maria has received mixed reviews, Jolie's portrayal of the titular character is one of the highlights of the movie. Maria Callas had an interesting although tumultuous life and illustrious career, but the movie's director, Pablo Larraín, who is famous for his work on Spencer and Jackie, focused solely on the events that occurred during Callas' final days instead of telling her whole life story.

Maria Callas Died Of A Heart Attack When She Was Only 53 Years Old

Maria Callas Had Problems With Her Heart And Liver

Close

Maria Callas spent the better part of her life singing opera before she had to quit due to her voice failing. According to reports, Callas had a neuromuscular disorder that caused her voice to weaken, forcing her to take a step back from opera (via The Guardian). Her weakening voice was just the beginning of her declining health. A week before her death, Maria's doctor had warned her that the sedatives and steroids she was addicted to were causing her heart and liver to fail.

Related Does Angelina Jolie Actually Sing In Maria? Netflix's 2024 biopic Maria features several original recordings by Maria Callas, some of which are performed by Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie.

Although Maria was aware that she had health problems, the biopic shows her not overly worried about how serious her condition was despite her butler, Ferruccio (Pierfranceso Favino), encouraging her to heed her doctor's advice. She mostly spent her remaining days trying to bring her voice back to what it was at the height of her career instead of tending to her health. Maria's final scenes depict the singer's last moments when Ferruccio finds her dead. The iconic opera singer died of a heart attack on September 16, 1977, when she was only 53 years old.

Why Maria Callas Spent The Last Few Years Of Her Life Isolated In Paris

Paris Was Maria Callas' Safe Haven

Close

Maria Callas had lived in different cities, including Milan, New York, and London, but the City of Light was where she sought refuge when she could no longer perform. For Callas, Paris, where the majority of Maria is set, held a certain allure and is where she felt most understood by her audience. In 1961, Maria chose to move to Paris after her health began to decline because it was the place that held some of her happiest memories and would allow her to live her life away from prying eyes (via Paris For Dreamers).

Sources: Venice International Film Festival, The Guardian, Paris For Dreamers