When it comes to mastering the craft of opera, most actors would find the challenge daunting. But for Angelina Jolie, it was a journey of determination, discipline, and ultimate success, according to her vocal coach, Eric Vetro. Jolie, who stars as the legendary opera singer Maria Callas in the upcoming biopic Maria, had never sung before taking on the role — a fact that left Vetro in awe of her dedication and ability to transform.
Vetro, a renowned vocal coach whose past students include pop stars like Ariana Grande and movie stars like Timothée Chalamet, worked with Jolie for seven months to prepare her for the role of Callas, who tragically passed away at just 53 in 1977. The film, directed by Pablo Larraín, chronicles Callas’ later years in Paris, where she struggled with her voice and her identity. Jolie’s portrayal of Callas required not only emotional depth but an authentic vocal performance — a feat that Vetro was tasked with helping her achieve.
From the outset, Jolie was far from an opera singer. “She started from ground zero,” Vetro admits, “She had never sung before.” Yet, her commitment to portraying Callas with the utmost respect and authenticity fueled her work ethic. Vetro, who has coached many high-profile stars, recalls that he was taken aback by Jolie’s intense focus and work ethic. “Her desire to do a great job overrode anything that might stop her,” he explains. “She was fully committed to learning everything about opera — and she was all in.”
The process of training someone to sing opera is far more intricate than it sounds. Unlike popular music, opera is often less about maintaining a steady beat and more about following the ebb and flow of emotions and phrasing. For Vetro, it was a unique challenge to train an actor who had no formal vocal experience. “Opera doesn’t have that steady rhythm you’d expect from other types of music,” he says. “It ebbs and flows. It goes a little faster here, a little slower there. You have to be incredibly musical to do that well.”
Despite her lack of prior experience, Jolie quickly made significant progress. But it wasn’t until one pivotal moment that Vetro truly realized how far she had come. During a practice session, he asked Jolie to sing “O mio babbino caro,” a beloved soprano aria from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. “It was the most thrilling day of all of our time spent together,” Vetro recalls, clearly emotional. “I was like, ‘This is it. She can do it. She’s the perfect person to play this role.’”
Vetro, who holds Callas in high regard as one of the greatest opera singers of all time, was deeply moved by Jolie’s rendition. “I loved Maria Callas. She was one of my favorite opera singers. So it really touched me that she was able to do it like this,” he says, clearly proud of his student’s success.
This isn’t the first time Jolie has defied expectations. Her career has spanned various genres, from action films to humanitarian work, directing her own films, and even producing the Tony Award-winning Broadway show The Outsiders. Vetro is not surprised by her success. “I feel like anything she decided to do, she probably could do,” he says. “She’s a remarkable human being.”
Her impressive versatility is a source of inspiration for Vetro. “She really inspired me to always give 150% every minute of the day, because she does,” he says, emphasizing the impact Jolie’s dedication had on him both professionally and personally.
Maria, which marks the culmination of Jolie’s journey into the world of opera, is now playing in theaters and will be available for streaming on Netflix starting December 11. In addition to his work with Jolie, Vetro has also shared his vocal expertise with the world through BBC Maestro’s “Sing Like the Stars,” an eight-hour video series where he coaches other famous students, including John Legend and Sabrina Carpenter.
For fans of both Jolie and Callas, Maria is an unmissable film that showcases the actress’s unexpected yet brilliant vocal prowess. As Vetro puts it, “She really did it. She really became Maria Callas.”
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