Maria Callas was a Greek-American soprano and opera singer
who became known during the post-World War II period. She combined an
impeccable bel canto technique with great dramatic gifts, making her one of the
most famous singing actress of the era.
This October, Philippine Opera Company is proud to present the Tony Award-winning play, Master Class, about the legendary opera diva Maria Callas.
Terrence McNally's Master Class was first produced by the Philadelphia Theatre Company in March 1995; it opened at the Golden Theatre in New York City in November of the same year. The play is based on a series of master classes given by the renowned opera singer Maria Callas at the Juilliard School of Music in New York in 1971 and 1972. Callas (1923-77) was the greatest dramatic soprano of her generation and also a controversial figure. Her restless and tempestuous personality often led her into disputes with opera managements and feuds with rival singers. However, she was adored by her fans and was the subject of constant media attention, including gossip about her jet-set life with the wealthy Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis.
Although Master Class does delve into the triumphs and tragedies of Callas's life, its primary focus is the art of dramatic singing. As McNally's fictional version of Callas teaches her class, she explains to her students, two sopranos and a tenor, just what it takes to invest the music with real feeling, revealing as she does so how demanding the profession of opera singing is. She also reveals her own contradictory personality-proud and egotistical yet also vulnerable and self-pitying. In spite of all the flaws of its main character, however, Master Class, written by a man who has been a Callas fan since he was a teenager in high school, is a tribute to the dedication of a great singer and actress to her chosen art.
Although the play touches on many of the main events of Maria Callas' life, it is not in essence a biographical portrait. Rather, it is an exploration of the nature of artistic creation, as applied to operatic singing and acting. Maria makes clear that art is serious business that cannot be done by half measures; it demands total commitment on the part of the singer/actress. Being an opera singer can never be an easy career; the singer must give everything to the demands of her craft. This means intense discipline over a lifetime.
Philippine actress Cherie Gil appears in this play as the opera icon Maria Callas.
Asked what made her agree to portray a very difficult role? "I read the script over and over and constantly ask myself what I got myself into? Maria Callas is larger than life and always known to be the epitome of discipline, having an intense passion and love for her art. I was compelled to get to know her though II knew it would be a very difficult show to fill...To be able to acquire even just an iota of her essence would be a gift. Perhaps, I personally was looking into seeing my own art through her eyes and finding a fresh start to loving my craft all over again," says Cherie.
Playing the students in her master class are Jack Salud as Anthony Candolino, Florence Aguilar as Sophie de Palma, Deeda Barreto as Sharon Graham, Ceejay Javier as the pianist Manny and Michael Williams in a cameo role as the stage manager.
LA DIVINA. Greatly admired by many opera fans, disliked by others, Callas was a controversial artist. Her supporters called her "La Divina" and raved about the dramatic intensity and ravishing portrayals she brought to the opera stage. Callas' detractors believed that she regularly pushed her voice beyond its natural limits, achieving her dramatic effect at the expense of beauty of tone.
Born Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos to Greek
parents in Brooklyn, New York, she moved with her mother to Athens, Greece at
the age of 13. There she received her musical education and became a pupil of
the well-known soprano Elvira de Hidalgo at the Athens Conservatory. After a
few appearances as a student and in secondary roles, she made her professional
debut at the Athens Opera on July 4, 1941, as La Tosca, going on to sing
Santuzza and Leonora during the next three years. In 1947, Callas made her
Italian debut at the Verona Arena in La Gioconda under the baton of Tullio
Serafin. Together with Serafin, Callas subsequently recorded and performed many
bel canto operas, contributing greatly to the bel canto revival of the 1950s.
From October 1971 to March 1972, Callas gave a series of master classes at the
Juilliard School in New York before a full house of students and spectators.
(These classes later formed the basis of Terrence McNally's 1995 play Master
Class).
Philippine Opera Company's Master Class will run at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza on October 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25, 2008 at 8 p.m.
For block ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company
at 892-8786 and TicketWorld at 891-9999 or log on to
www.philippineoperacompany.com
