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March 8, 2000
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In Theatre Master Class Profiles the Rise and Fall of a Diva
CONTRIBUTED STORY
Artists Repertory Theatre continues
its 1999-2000 season with a Tony
award-winning play that explores
the life and artistry o f one o f the 20lh
century's greatest talents, Maria
Callas.
Inspired by a series o f master classes
Maria Callas conducted at Julliard
toward the end ofher career, Master
Class puts the great diva at center
stage again as she coaxes, prods
and inspires students - “victims”
she calls them - into giving the
performances o f their lives while
revealing her own.
As she slips off into memories, the
audience experiences her days at
La S cala, her m arriag e to
Meneghini, and her great doomed
love for Aristotle Onassis.
Maria Callas was the most vibrant
soprano ofher generation, the center
o f the universe. Everyone adored
Callas, including Callas, whose life
was opera on a grand scale.
But her singing days are over and
now she must live her greatest
triumphs through the voices of three
students in her master class. She
instructs and she revels in the
exploits o fh e r legendary career.
“In addition to being a portrait of
the artist,” Kretzu says, “McNally
uses the play as a vehicle to explore
even more complex issues such as
the relationship o f artists to their art
and the enigma o f talent - and the
loss o f it.”
Master Class is a play o f wit,
humanity and insight that explores
the life o f M aria C allas and
examines the enigma of talent -a n d
what happens to the person behind
the star when the talent is gone.
M aster Class, written by Terrence
M cN ally and directed by Jon
Kretzu, runs March 14-April 23.
Tickets are $13.50 for previews,
$ 15 to $25 for the regular run, and
may be purchased through the
A R T. box office, 503/241 -1 ART.
Steve Dahlke is the Accompanist, Luisa Sermol is Maria Callas and
Megan Hook is Sharon, the Second Soprano in Master Class. The play
is a witty, insightful and humanistic exploration o f the life o f Maria
Callas. a legendary' diva that was raised in Eastside Manhattan and
has had a cult follow ing among opera lovers.
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