Dipaly Banerjee
Created for Mega TV by Christoforos Papakaliatis, Netflix’s ‘Maestro in Blue’ (originally titled ‘Maestro’) is a Greek crime drama series set during the COVID-19 pandemic. The story centers on a musician named Orestes, who relocates to a tiny island after being hired to organize a music festival. He begins preparing his music pupils for the much-awaited festival when he somewhat unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a romantic relationship that intensifies over time. Also, Orestes gets drawn into other people’s issues because of the small community on the lovely island, which complicates his stay there.
Featuring compelling performances from talented actors like Christoforos Papakaliatis, Klelia Andriolatou, Haris Alexiou, Maria Kavoyianni, and Fanis Mouratidis, the first ever Greek series on Netflix covers several socially relevant issues through its relatable characters. Moreover, the authentic portrayal of the Greek island and the mysterious residents of the island makes one wonder if ‘Maestro in Blue’ and its residents exist in real life. If you wish to explore the same, we’ve got you covered. Let’s begin!
Maestro in Blue: Not Based on True Events
No, ‘Maestro in Blue’ is not based on a true story. The series is the brainchild of writer and lead actor Christoforos Papakaliatis who has also directed a few episodes. Despite being a piece of fiction, it is easy to assume that much of the show is inspired by real-life elements and the ever-evolving concept of the different faces of love. Book lovers would find this series fascinating as it gives life to a story that feels straight out of the pages of a romantic novel with strong characters and a tale of forbidden love; however, the series is not based on a novel.
For many viewers, it might seem plausible to think how the tale of star-crossed lovers might have roots in reality, where a foreign music teacher, while handling students on a daily basis on a quaint island, might develop romantic feelings for his student. Although the act is snared upon and seen as unethical, the occurrence of the same is more common than one might think. Attraction cannot be controlled, and feelings come uncalled for; however, it must be remembered that we are not romanticizing any relationship, and “love is love” till certain legal boundaries.
The series tells the beautiful yet forbidden tale of love between Orestes and Klelia, whose incomplete love story spirals into something more complicated than what meets the eye. Klelia’s father finds out and is against their relationship and wants Orestes out of the island. But the show must go on, and Orestes attempts to continue his lessons to put up the music festival as planned. In another twist of events, we find a raw portrayal of a gay couple whose fight against society begins at home. We see heart-wrenching scenes of violence extorted to a young man simply because of his sexuality.
The show touches upon the themes of violence and hate towards the LGBT community quite sensitively, painting a picture of the need to have difficult conversations with children. All in all, the series is a great one with a very intimate and raw portrayal of love that is not necessarily romanticized. Christoforos Papakaliatis has done a brilliant job by putting up a mirror in front of the audience where emotions and conversations are not filtered, nor is love romanticized; instead, the gray side of love is put up. That being said, ‘Maestro in Blue’ is a complete work of fiction created for the sake of entertainment purposes.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Maestro in Blue Filmed?
