“Maria who became Callas” premieres on ERT1 – The biographical series comes on January 13

“Maria who became Callas”, ERT’s new exciting series, directed and written by Olga Maleas, premieres on ERT1 on Monday, January 13, 2025 at 21:00. The social biographical series of 10 episodes for the , which was deposited by the public when it was aired by ERTFLIX , as it scored a record of sightings, will be broadcast every Monday and Tuesday at 21:00 by ERT1. CORVERSE The series records the transformation of young Maria Callas from a small ugly duck to the largest diva of all time, during the occupation period, in Athens. We follow her through her relationship with the key figures of her youth life: her mother, her Spanish teacher, her baritone lover, her pianist sister, the German conductor. But each of them, impressed by her talent, has other plans for her. With a journey between love and eternity, Mary is looking for someone who will love her for what she is, unconditionally or required. Lack of love is the driving force to develop her talent and cultivate her unique voice, which is a point of reference and milestone for opera worldwide, even today. CORVERSE The series is based on collecting information from the book “The unknown Callas” by historian Nicolas Petsalis-Diomedes. Monday, January 13, 2025, at 21:00 – Episode 1: “La Paloma” Athens, spring 1937. Maria, Litsa and Jackie arrive by ferry from New York to the port of Piraeus. In Athens, the three women encounter insurmountable difficulties, which is why Litsa hopes for the financial help of her mother, Frosos. Meanwhile, Maria wants to sell her father’s patent, a cream for gum disease, and with this money to bring him to Greece. Lica forces Maria to participate in the “La Paloma” audition, organized by the famous Spanish vocal teacher Elvira de Idalgo. Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 21:00 – Episode 2: “The lead soldier” Athens – spring 1941. World War II has begun. The Italians have settled in Athens. At the conservatory, Greeks promote their own singers by undermining 17-year-old Maria. Lica ensures the help of Bonalty, an Italian general, who is thrilled with Maria’s voice. However, Maria does not want to work with the enemy and furthermore falls in love with Robert, an English soldier. They play: Helen Radou (Litsa, mother of Maria), Renia Luisidou (Elvira, Spanish teacher) , Cleopatra Eleftheriadou (first appearing lyric soprano and acting student, in the role of Maria), Demy Papadea (Jaki, sister of Mary), Carmen Rougeri (Frosho, grandmother of Mary), Ioannis Papazisis (Magliveras, baritone, lover of Mary), Maximos Moumouris (Bontman, German archaeocapilos), Haris Mavroydi (Mari Bonalti, Italian officer, admirer of Mary) Also involved are the actors: Alexander Antonopoulos (Andreas Empirikos), Nikos Orfanos (Manolis Kalomoiris), Alexander Varthis (Takis Sigoras), Harris Gregoropoulos (Pericles), George Depastas (Economidis), Adriana Babalis (Sophia), Evi Mazi (Kakia), Michael Edwards (Robert), Dirk Walter Sikorski (Horner), Michael Seibel (Simana), Christopher Scott (Rey), Constantine Antalopoulos (Varonos) etc.Senario (head–writer)-directed: Olga Malea Senariographers: Apostolos Alexopoulos, Vangelis Nasis, Penytaki, Manina Zubulakis First assistant director: Manos Gasteratos Photo address: Panagiotis Vasilakis Music: Stamatis Stamatakis Montaz: Ioanna Pojantzi Sound: Nikos Papadopoulos Artistic Director: Froso Ralli Costumes: Maria Maggira Scenes: Chrysa Daponte Makeyaz: Salvation Malatesta, Georgina Sideri Production: ERT Producer: Peace Souganidou Productions: Feelgood Productions Role Description LITSA KALOGEROPOULOS (Heni Radou) – Maria’s ambitious mother Litsa is beautiful, charming, smart, a star on her own. She wanted to be an actor but her family married her to George Kalogeeropoulos, pharmacist, serious groom and away from the world of spectacle. Just before Maria was born, the family moved from Meligala to New York. There, she was fascinated by the opera world. She is the first to understand Maria’s talent and invests all her hopes for better life on her daughter wanting to emerge through her (Stage mother). Disappointed by her husband’s financial poverty and constant courtships, just before World War II, Litsa takes her two daughters and comes to Athens in order to continue her studies in a Greek conservatory. Without her persistence and megalomania, Maria would never become the greatest diva of opera of all time. Elvira DE INALGO (Renia Luisidou) – Maria’s Spanish singing teacher Elvira de Idalgo was a famous Spanish soprano, who, after a remarkable international career, moves to Athens and becomes an equally famous singing teacher, specializing in Italian operas and bel canto. Elvira acquires a special emotional addiction with Maria. The two of them are not slow to understand that Mary is not only an angel’s voice for Elvira, but also the daughter she never had, and that Elvira is not only a teacher but also the mother Maria needs. MARIA KALOGEROPOULOS (Kleopatra Eleftheriadou) – The ugly duck who became a diva As a child, Maria looks older than her age. She knows she has a unique voice, but she is not interested in becoming a singer at all. Her great desire is to become a pharmacist, like her dad, whom she loves. However, when she learns that her father has a mistress she is forced to join her mother’s chariot, who wants her to be a great singer and bring her to study at the Greek National Conservatory. Lack of love is the driving force to develop her talent and cultivate her unique voice, which is a point of reference and milestone for opera worldwide. It struggles daily and becomes the greatest diva of all time in order to get love. But does he take it? JAKI KALLOGEROPOULOS (Demy Papadea) – Maria’s beautiful sister By five years older than Maria, Jackie looks like a princess. She’s a beauty with finesse and air. She gathers all the male eyes on her. He also has musical talent. Initially her dream is to become a piano soloist, but her mother soon takes her off this path. Gradually, however, he accepts a second place in the family as Mary’s companion. Somewhere she’s comfortable with the pressure falling all over Maria but then jealous of her sister’s success. Since Maria is the queen of music, Jackie will be the queen of beauty. Jackie’s unspeakable goal is to steal all men from Maria. Vangelis MAGLIBERAS (John Papazisis) – Maria’s international famous Greek baritone and lover Fifteen years older, Vangelis Maggliveras is Maria’s sister-soul on stage and later on in love. Thanks to his own acting and extroversion, he matures and expresses freed Mary’s inherent talent. Passion among them grows uncontrollably. But Magliberas is already married to two children, mistress, and many debts. OSCAR BOTMAN (Maximum Moumouris) – The German fan officer of Maria. Oscar Botman is a highly noble and cultured German officer. She is ecstatic by Maria when she is invited to sing Ave Maria and has since become an avid fan. His admiration became love, resulting in him asking for it in marriage.HANS HORNER (Dirk Sikorski) – The internationally renowned German conductor Hans Horner is a German official who is in Athens due to the German Occupation. She is a philhellene and has an affair with a Greek woman, Melita, the first violin of the orchestra. He is an excellent conductor of international fame and prefers to engage in music rather than war. He is a great admirer of Mary for her talent, her hard work and her consequence. GIORGOS KALOGEROPOULOS (Dimitris Tzavaras) – Maria’s father George Kalogeeropoulos, Maria’s father, is beautiful, kind and extremely courteous. A professional pharmacist, he loves rebetika and plays bouzouki. He doesn’t care about opera and doesn’t understand it. When Litsa takes the girls and goes to Athens, he stays in New York and creates a relationship with Alexandra, Litsa’s best friend. Unlike Litsa, George lives for today and sings for his pleasure and not to make a career. When the war ends, he calls Maria to New York because he misses his favorite little girl very much. Photo credits: OLGA MALEA