Master Class

Rating:
Summary: Oh, if only there was an audio tape to go with this script!
Review: When Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington listen to Maria Callas sing "La Mamma Morta" in the film "Philadelphia," I am sure most viewers did recognized neither the aria nor the diva. If the name of Maria Callas is mentioned it is as likely because she was Aristotle Onassis' mistress as it is that she was one of the world's greatest opera singers. In 1971 Callas returned to the stage to teach master classes at Julliard, which were transcribed and collected into a book edited by John Ardoin. A quarter century later Terrence McNally was inspired by those lectures to write his play, Master Class," which may do as much as anything to restore Callas to her rightful spot in the history of opera as anything since her death.

McNally's great conceit in this play is to make the theater audience the members of the master class. The house lights never go completely down during the course of the play, allowing Callas to lecture (harangue) the audience along with her master students who she puts through the wringer, usually reducing them to tears. The play uses an accompanist, two sopranos and a tenor to play and sing the music, while Callas comments on both the meaning of the texts and their performances. When she performed on stage the key description of Callas was that she was "dramatic" as a singer. In this play McNally tries to make it clear why this is true, for even if the diva can no longer sing, she retains her total understanding of each piece under discussion.

Because Callas is talking about music in general and various arias in particular, there is certainly a missing dimension to this script. I am serious when I say it would be nice if there was an audio tape of the arias that you could play while Callas talks about them (e.g., Verdi's "Macbeth"). Unfortunately, I am ashamed to admit my opera collection is inadequate to the task of putting together my own tape. But it is certainly fun to listen to those particular works as they are discussed. Not as good as actually seeing this play in performance, but that is unlikely to happen since it requires not only someone with the commanding presence of Zoe Caldwell but several singers like Audra McDonald. This is a fascinating portrait of a person who was as dynamic a personality as she was a performer. As much as I enjoyed reading this play, I have to lament the fact that reading it deprives me of the musical dimension that is at the heart of "Master Class." If you enjoy opera, musical theater or the creative process of the performing arts, this is a wonderful play for you to read.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, if only there was an audio tape to go with this script!
Review: When Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington listen to Maria Callas sing "La Mamma Morta" in the film "Philadelphia," I am sure most viewers did recognized neither the aria nor the diva. If the name of Maria Callas is mentioned it is as likely because she was Aristotle Onassis' mistress as it is that she was one of the world's greatest opera singers. In 1971 Callas returned to the stage to teach master classes at Julliard, which were transcribed and collected into a book edited by John Ardoin. A quarter century later Terrence McNally was inspired by those lectures to write his play, Master Class," which may do as much as anything to restore Callas to her rightful spot in the history of opera as anything since her death.

McNally's great conceit in this play is to make the theater audience the members of the master class. The house lights never go completely down during the course of the play, allowing Callas to lecture (harangue) the audience along with her master students who she puts through the wringer, usually reducing them to tears. The play uses an accompanist, two sopranos and a tenor to play and sing the music, while Callas comments on both the meaning of the texts and their performances. When she performed on stage the key description of Callas was that she was "dramatic" as a singer. In this play McNally tries to make it clear why this is true, for even if the diva can no longer sing, she retains her total understanding of each piece under discussion.

Because Callas is talking about music in general and various arias in particular, there is certainly a missing dimension to this script. I am serious when I say it would be nice if there was an audio tape of the arias that you could play while Callas talks about them (e.g., Verdi's "Macbeth"). Unfortunately, I am ashamed to admit my opera collection is inadequate to the task of putting together my own tape. But it is certainly fun to listen to those particular works as they are discussed. Not as good as actually seeing this play in performance, but that is unlikely to happen since it requires not only someone with the commanding presence of Zoe Caldwell but several singers like Audra McDonald. This is a fascinating portrait of a person who was as dynamic a personality as she was a performer. As much as I enjoyed reading this play, I have to lament the fact that reading it deprives me of the musical dimension that is at the heart of "Master Class." If you enjoy opera, musical theater or the creative process of the performing arts, this is a wonderful play for you to read.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, if only there was an audio tape to go with this script!
Review: When Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington listen to Maria Callas sing "La Mamma Morta" in the film "Philadelphia," I am sure most viewers did recognized neither the aria nor the diva. If the name of Maria Callas is mentioned it is as likely because she was Aristotle Onassis' mistress as it is that she was one of the world's greatest opera singers. In 1971 Callas returned to the stage to teach master classes at Julliard, which were transcribed and collected into a book edited by John Ardoin. A quarter century later Terrence McNally was inspired by those lectures to write his play, Master Class," which may do as much as anything to restore Callas to her rightful spot in the history of opera as anything since her death.

McNally's great conceit in this play is to make the theater audience the members of the master class. The house lights never go completely down during the course of the play, allowing Callas to lecture (harangue) the audience along with her master students who she puts through the wringer, usually reducing them to tears. The play uses an accompanist, two sopranos and a tenor to play and sing the music, while Callas comments on both the meaning of the texts and their performances. When she performed on stage the key description of Callas was that she was "dramatic" as a singer. In this play McNally tries to make it clear why this is true, for even if the diva can no longer sing, she retains her total understanding of each piece under discussion.

Because Callas is talking about music in general and various arias in particular, there is certainly a missing dimension to this script. I am serious when I say it would be nice if there was an audio tape of the arias that you could play while Callas talks about them (e.g., Verdi's "Macbeth"). Unfortunately, I am ashamed to admit my opera collection is inadequate to the task of putting together my own tape. But it is certainly fun to listen to those particular works as they are discussed. Not as good as actually seeing this play in performance, but that is unlikely to happen since it requires not only someone with the commanding presence of Zoe Caldwell but several singers like Audra McDonald. This is a fascinating portrait of a person who was as dynamic a personality as she was a performer. As much as I enjoyed reading this play, I have to lament the fact that reading it deprives me of the musical dimension that is at the heart of "Master Class." If you enjoy opera, musical theater or the creative process of the performing arts, this is a wonderful play for you to read.