In today’s world of social media, La Divina, as Callas was known in music circles, would be famous for being shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis’ girlfriend right before he pursued (and married) Jacqueline Kennedy.
Callas passed away in 1977 in Paris, as a virtual recluse. But in 1971, with her voice practically gone, and in the twilight of her professional career, she gave a series of Master Classes at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. The fact that she was conducting these Master Classes served as the inspiration for playwright Terrence McNally to write "Master Class," as a ‘what if we were a fly on the wall during these Juilliard sessions’?
Callas was notorious for being a diva, she was mercurial, imperious, and what we would call today, a ‘terror’. Could we match that image while showcasing her vulnerability, her life story, and the anguish and pain she would be experiencing at that stage in her life?
The character study, "Master Class," premiered in 1995; and won the Tony Award for Best Play. It’s admired for its theatricality, and how it addresses themes of Art with the concomitant sacrifice and discipline; and chronicles the steep, uphill road to greatness - that many can aspire for, but only very few can attain. So, it was welcome news to have our Philippine Opera Company stage this very well-pedigreed drama once again.
Directed by Jaime Del Mundo, and with Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo in the lead role of Maria Callas, the drama runs until May 30 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium.
Supporting Menchu are Alexandra Bernas as Sophie, Arman Ferrer as Tony, Angeli Benipayo as Sharon, Nelsito Gomez as the Stage Hand, and Louie Oca as Manny.
Sophie, Tony and Sharon are the students who join the "Master Class," while Manny is the resident pianist who accompanies the students.
The first Act is virtually a one-woman show, with Menchu firmly placing the audience - and the rest of the cast - in the palm of her hand. It’s masterful, it’s domineering, it’s subjugation; and we are willing, compliant acolytes. And I use the term acolyte because we literally enter this ‘Maria Callas Church’, and come out believers. That’s how entertaining, engrossing, and compelling this drama is. The lines are just wonderful, McNally has done his job, and its up to the cast to make the magic happen.
Menchu interacts with the audience from the moment she makes her entrance. The ‘pencils and oranges’ phrase refers to when she was a 15 year old student of opera, and would always have a pencil on her for note-taking, and never have an orange because they couldn't afford it. So the pencil was an essential tool on her journey to artistic greatness, while the orange became a symbol for future success and financial stability.
"Master Class" is a wonderful play to enter blind, as I did. I’ve read about it, but had never watched it, and the lines are magnificent. The interplay between her conducting a class and triggered memories are priceless, and presented with much drama. The shafts of humor are so engaging, like when she says, “When you’re fat and ugly, and I’m not saying you are…” Or when a student refers to contemporary Joan Sutherland, and gets a frosty reaction from Callas. And unlike other plays where so much is expended in the first act, then there’s a letdown in the second; this one kicks off on a sustained high note, and the second act only gets better. Book your seat, and be charmed by this production!
