Renowned Italian actress Monica Bellucci will play the iconic Greek soprano singer Maria Callas at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens on September 21-23, 2021.

The highly acclaimed production of “Maria Callas: Letters and Memories,” is directed by Tom Volf and based on his book and film “Maria by Callas.” It premiered in Paris in November 2020 and is about to make its debut in Athens for three nights only.

Having premiered in Paris, at The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, in March of 2020 and receiving rave reviews, the 80-minute performance will now take place at the historic venue of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, on the slopes of the Acropolis Hill.

Monica Bellucci will be accompanied by the Camerata-Orchestra of the Friends of Music, under the direction of the leading Greek conductor, George Petrou; and a piano which belonged to Maria Callas, a gift from Aristotle Onassis to her, will also accompany the long-awaited appearances of Monica Bellucci in Greece.

The show, which is presented with Greek subtitles is based on the book by Tom Wolf, in which he collected more than 350 unpublished letters from Callas, written by her during 30 years (1946-1977).

About Maria Callas 

The internationally renowned Maria Callas captivated audiences with her iconic opera performances, showing off her vocal range in productions like ‘Tosca’ and ‘Norma.’

Callas was born in New York City in 1923 and began taking classical piano lessons when she was seven years old. She made her professional debut with the Royal Opera of Athens in Boccaccio and soon won her first major role with Tosca. Eventually garnering international acclaim, Callas made her Italian opera debut at the Verona Arena in 1947, later followed by her 1954 American debut in Norma. 

Over the next few years, under the management of her husband, Callas continued to perform in Florence and Verona to critical acclaim. The performance was a triumph and was seen as a signature role. In 1956, she, at last, had the opportunity to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in her home city of New York, but in 1958 was fired by director Rudolf Bing. Callas’ marriage had also begun to unravel. Callas and Meneghini split at the end of the decade, during which time she was having an affair with famous Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

During the 1960s, the quality and frequency of her performances waned. On September 16, 1977, Callas, aged 54, died in Paris of a heart attack. 

Purchase tickets for the performance here