Authored by famed American playwright Terrence McNally, MASTER CLASS presents a no-holds-barred snapshot of opera diva Maria Callas at the end of her life in the 1970s. McNalley depicts the caustic but subtly humorous larger-than-life Callas through the fictional tale of her role as teacher and reluctant mentor to aspiring young opera singers. Vocal pieces by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Vincenzo Bellini highlight the parade of “wannabes.” Originally produced in 1995 in Philadelphia, Los Angeles’s Mark Taper Forum, and New York’s Kennedy Center, MASTER CLASS opened on Broadway in 1995, where it earned a Tony for Best Play and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play in 1996.
Since 1996, there have been numerous revivals and international productions. In a 2011 review, Ben Brantley of the New York Times opined that “MASTER CLASS is not a very good play.” At the same time, he noted that Tyne Daley as Callas “…transforms that script into one of the most haunting portraits I’ve seen of life after stardom.” In fact, the role of Callas has attracted performers like Zoe Caldwell, Patti LuPone, Faye Dunaway, and Tyne Daly over the years. In 2025, Sierra Madre Playhouse proudly presents MASTER CLASS.
The time is the 1970s, and the place is the Juilliard studio in New York, where opera icon Maria Callas (Joan Almedilla) is presenting a master class for opera students. Both impressed and dismayed by the students (Joanna Kim as first soprano Sophie; Francesca Ling as second soprano Sharon; Kurt Kanazawa and tenor Tony; and Joshua Foy as Manny on the piano), Callas segues into meaningful areas of her own life.
She muses about her youth as an ugly duckling – the press that ripped her earlier performances to pieces – her ultimate triumph at La Scala – and her relationship with millionaire Aristotle Onassis. Her recollections are filled with droll wit and poignant pauses as she remembers so many emotional moments in her career. Now her voice has failed her and her relationship with Onassis has soured – but she continues to retain her powerful and immutable rules for living and especially for performing her beloved music.
Skillfully helmed by Tim Dang, MASTER CLASS paints a fascinating picture of the opera titan, a woman who sees herself as plain but with one outstanding attribute – the ability to use her voice to lift her from the mundane to the exceptional. As noted in an earlier review, it was also striking to intuit how fame and fortune affected her development. Almedilla does a strong job of presenting Callas, warts and all, not by labeling her character strengths and flaws – but instead by demonstrating these elements in her relationships with others and her music. Her “students” exhibit significant vocal skills as they embark on classic operatic arias. Christopher Scott Murillo’s set is simple but effective, enhanced by Lily Bartenstein’s lighting and Joshua Foy’s and Joshua Payuan-Criz’s sound. Opera lovers will adore this production, but it should also appeal to audiences who are fascinated by the effects of fame – and especially those who enjoy a good story and a well-painted portrait.
MASTER CLASS runs through March 9, 2025, with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 4 p.m. on Sundays. The Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Tickets range from $12 to $45. For information and reservations, call 626-355-4318 or go online.
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