Introduction: The Final Curtain, The Eternal Song

Some legends are born on stage, but their true stories are written in the private shadows behind the curtain. Maria (2024), directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Angelina Jolie as the iconic opera singer Maria Callas, is such a story. Set in Paris during the last seven days of Callas’s life, the film is not a conventional biopic, but an intimate, poetic meditation on memory, artistry, love, and regret. Through hallucinations, recollections, and poignant encounters, Maria revisits the triumphs and tragedies that shaped her, ultimately finding peace in her own voice one last time.

As creative leaders, we often find ourselves at crossroads: haunted by past choices, driven by relentless ambition, and yearning for authenticity. Maria is a mirror for anyone who aspires to create with soul, lead with vulnerability, and live with meaning. Let us walk through Maria Callas’s final journey using the timeless framework of the Hero’s Journey and the 12 archetypes-discovering, at each stage, what her story can reveal about your own.

The Hero’s Journey of Maria Callas: Plot and Archetypes

1. The Ordinary World – The Innocent

Maria Callas, once the greatest soprano of her era, now lives in seclusion in a Paris apartment with only her loyal butler Ferruccio and housekeeper Bruna for company. Her world is one of faded grandeur, loneliness, and fragile health. Yet, beneath the quiet, the spark of the artist remains: Maria tries to sing again, despite the toll on her body.

Reflection for Creative Leaders:
Where is your “ordinary world”? What parts of your creative life feel faded or dormant, waiting to be rekindled? The Innocent in us longs for a return to joy and simplicity.

2. The Call to Adventure – The Explorer

A television crew is scheduled to interview Maria about her life. For Maria, this is more than a media appointment-it is an invitation to confront her past, her legacy, and the question: What remains when the applause fades? The call is both literal and metaphorical, as her own memories begin to surface, beckoning her to explore the unhealed wounds and unfinished arias of her life.

Reflection:
What invitations are calling you to revisit your story? Where are you being asked to step into vulnerability, to explore what you have left unsaid or undone?

3. Refusal of the Call – The Everyman

Maria resists. She overuses Mandrax, a sedative, to numb her pain and anxiety. She lies to her doctor, tries to dismiss her hallucinations, and clings to routines. The Everyman in her wants to stay safe, to avoid the pain of reliving old heartbreaks and failures.

Reflection:
Where do you numb yourself or avoid difficult truths? What “medications” (literal or figurative) do you use to keep discomfort at bay?

4. Meeting the Mentor – The Sage

Mentors appear in many forms. For Maria, it is the hallucinated filmmaker “Mandrax” who interviews her, prompting reflection. It is also conductor Jeffrey Tate, who helps her test whether her voice can still soar. And it is Ferruccio and Bruna, whose steadfast care anchors her to the present.

Reflection:
Who are the mentors-real or imagined-guiding you now? What questions do they ask that you are afraid to answer?

5. Crossing the Threshold – The Rebel

Maria succumbs to her memories and hallucinations, crossing from the present into the haunted landscapes of her past. She relives her passionate, tumultuous affair with Aristotle Onassis, her forced performances during World War II, and her struggles with public scrutiny and private betrayal. There is no return to innocence; only the courage to face what is true.

Reflection:
What threshold are you being asked to cross? What truths must you confront, even if they threaten your sense of self or security?

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies – The Warrior

Maria’s week is a series of tests. She must face the decline of her voice, the judgment of the press, the ghosts of lost love, and the pain of familial wounds. Her allies-Ferruccio, Bruna, Jeffrey Tate-stand by her, offering support and honesty. Her enemies are internal: regret, self-doubt, and the relentless passage of time.

Reflection:
Who are your allies? What are your greatest tests? Where do you find the strength to persist when your gifts seem to abandon you?

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave – The Lover

Maria’s most intimate struggle is with her own heart. She recalls her love for Onassis, the joy and devastation it brought. She reconciles with her sister Yakinthi, healing an old family rift. She faces the loss of her voice-the very thing that defined her. In the inmost cave, Maria must decide: Is she more than her talent? Is she worthy of love, even as her powers fade?

Reflection:
What is your “inmost cave”? What part of your identity feels most fragile, most at risk? How do you love yourself beyond your achievements?

8. The Ordeal – The Martyr

Maria’s ordeal is brutal and unsparing. She records her voice, only to hear its decline. A journalist from Le Figaro spies on her, questioning her worth. She is forced to admit, finally, that her days as a singer are over. Yet, she expresses gratitude to those who have stayed by her side, even as she faces the end.

Reflection:
When have you faced the end of a dream? What did you lose-and what did you find-in surrendering to reality?

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword) – The Creator

In her final hours, Maria finds peace. She sings Vissi d’arte one last time, her voice imperfect but her soul unburdened. She opens her windows, letting her song flow into the Parisian streets. The city listens, moved. In this act, Maria reclaims her artistry-not as a performance, but as a gift to herself and the world.

Reflection:
What is your “final aria”? What legacy do you wish to leave, not as perfection, but as truth?

10. The Road Back – The Ruler

Maria’s journey nears its end. She has made peace with her past, forgiven herself and others, and accepted her mortality. Her hallucinated companions-Onassis and Mandrax-vanish. She is alone, but not lonely. She has ruled her story, rather than being ruled by it.

Reflection:
How can you become the ruler of your own story? What would it mean to lead your life, rather than be led by circumstance?

11. Resurrection – The Magician

Maria’s death is not an end, but a transformation. Her final song echoes through the city, touching strangers and loved ones alike. In letting go, she becomes legend. Her story, once marked by pain and regret, is transmuted into art, compassion, and grace.

Reflection:
Where in your life can you turn pain into beauty? How can you use your struggles to inspire others?

12. Return with the Elixir – The Sage

Maria’s journey ends, but her gift remains. She leaves behind not just recordings and memories, but a lesson: true greatness lies not in never falling, but in rising, forgiving, and loving fully. For creative leaders, her story is the ultimate elixir-a reminder that our value is not in what we achieve, but in who we become1.

Reflection:
What is the elixir you bring back from your journey? How will you share your wisdom with others?

Conclusion: The Legend You Create

Maria Callas’s final week is a testament to the power of story, memory, and self-acceptance. Her journey is not just the tale of a diva’s last days, but a universal map for anyone seeking meaning in their creative life. We are all, in the end, the storytellers of our own legends. Will yours be a tale of regret, or of transformation?

Questions to Take Away After Seeing Maria

• What parts of your story have you left unexamined, and what would it take to revisit them with compassion?
• Where do you find yourself resisting the call to change or grow?
• Who are your mentors and allies, and how do they help you see yourself more clearly?
• What is your “final aria”-the unique gift only you can offer the world?
• How can you transform your pain into art, leadership, or service?
• What legacy do you wish to leave, and what steps can you take today to embody it?

Story Coaching with Peter de Kuster: Create Your Own Hero’s Journey

Are you ready to become the creative leader of your own legend? My story coaching is designed for professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking a more powerful, authentic narrative for their life and work.

Who is this for?

• Creative professionals, leaders, and business owners
• Anyone seeking clarity, confidence, and meaning in their story
• Those ready to explore their blind spots and grow through reflection

Benefits of Story Coaching:

• Deep insight into your personal and professional story
• Tools to reframe challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth
• Guidance in aligning your values, vision, and leadership style
• Support in crafting your unique “final aria”-your legacy

Investment:
A one-hour coaching session is €295 (excluding VAT). Book your session by emailing me at peter@wearesomeone.nl.

You are the storyteller of your own life. Let’s create your legend together.

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project, dedicated to helping creative professionals shape meaningful lives and careers through the power of story.