Dramatic singing and Maria Callas

MANILA, Philippines - In my world of music, I am blessed to experience rare gems of encounters with true artists who pursue their craft with unbridled passion. Let me share with you what I mean by passion:  An enraptured aficionado once remarked after witnessing a sterling performance by a virtuoso violinist that he would give his life to be able to play that way.  The virtuoso replied, “That is precisely what I have done.” Passion means giving your heart, your soul, your entire life.

Maria Callas is one such artist who devoted herself entirely to her passion: Dramatic singing.  As a result, she achieved a level of excellence that is unequaled and remains the benchmark to date.  Master Class, now on its repeat run, is a play that is as much about the art of dramatic singing as it is about the life of an artist totally dedicated to her craft… with its fair share of frustrations, triumphs, humor and scandal.  (Remember her affair with tycoon Aristotle Onassis?  Remember how she was devastated by the news that Onassis was going to wed Jacqueline Kennedy, dropping Callas like a hot potato after she had left her Italian husband and for such brazen act suffered like a pariah for Onassis?)

The Tony award-winning play Master Class, which will run at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (RCBC Plaza) from July 29 to Aug. 15 is based on the famous master classes in voice actually given by opera diva Callas at the Julliard School of Music in 1971 (her post-Onassis era). The play portrays Callas as a mentor who explains to her students, in her inimitable way, how to imbue a song with real emotion, thus revealing the rigors of operatic singing and the intense discipline and hard work required to achieve excellence that demanded nothing less. And who else would be perfect for the role than the beautiful and equally impeccably talented Cherie Gil, the singer-actress who was once married to a virtuoso violinist herself.

The Philippine Opera Company, which is behind the re-staging of this beautiful play by Terrence McNally, is itself composed of passionate musical artists whose main goal is to bring classical and opera music to the Filipino people.  Headed by its president Karla Gutierrez, it has embarked on this daunting project together with the help of seasoned stage director Michael Williams. In today’s world full of frivolous and hollow entertainment (Read: Television shows that make us dumb and dumber), it is truly refreshing to have in our midst the members of the POC, bringing us true art as an expression of beauty.  There are so many sacrifices, too many tears shed, a lifetime of frustrations.  But like Maria Callas, these artists persevere to the point of forgetting their own comforts in life, to remind us that we Filipinos can produce shows of great value where the audience thinks, feels and learns, emerging from the theater enlightened on life.

Master Class is a story of one artist who was magnificent because she was true to her calling. Master Class is a play produced by creative minds and zealous stage performers backed by a committed production group.  For now, I am consumed with passion to tell all Filipinos I can reach to watch this exceptional stage presentation. Master Class is a must-see for those who want to get their money’s worth. Master Class is a must support for all of us who wish to have more brilliant shows that our families can enjoy. Master Class is truly world-class.

For show tickets, call Philippine Opera Company at 892-8786 or 881-7168 or TicketWorld at 891-9999.