Creative Team

Director — Lester Malizia
Music Director — Terry Tichenor
Sets — Bob Fetterman
Lights — Annmarie Duggan
Costumes — Steven Simon

Written by Terrence McNally
Study Guide written by Gary Cadwallader

About the play

Master Class by Terrence McNally first opened on Broadway at the Golden Theater on November 5, 1995. It was directed by Leonard Foglia, and featured Zoe Caldwell as Maria Callas, and Audra McDonald as Sharon. It played for 601 performances, closing in June, 1997. After Caldwell left the role, Patti LuPone, followed by Dixie Carter, played Callas. The national tour featured Faye Dunaway. Master Class won three Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Actress (Caldwell), and Best Supporting Actress (McDonald).

The Source

The source materials for Master Class are the actual master classes given by Maria Callas at The Juilliard School from October, 1971, to March, 1972. McNally's play does not interpolate the exact dialogue between Callas and the Juilliard students (which is available on CD), but instead creates a portrait of Maria Callas as artist and woman as framed by the music she discusses.

Master classes are common in music training programs. Typically, a well-established professional will give advice to a group of students who audition for the right to be critiqued by the seasoned performer.

What is unique about Maria Callas' classes at Juilliard is that they were open to the public. Tickets to the event cost $5.

The Form and Style

To find the "style" of any play, one must recognize the predominant element the playwright uses to tell the story: plot, character, theme, spectacle, and language. Here is a short explanation of each element: A plot driven play is one where the story itself is the most important element of the work. The story is loaded with action and usually does not concern itself with a character's emotions, or try to hammer home a moral. Typically a "plot play" does not have huge or tricky scenic elements, nor does it have gorgeous poetic lines or florid speech. An example of a "plot play" is The Tavern by George M. Cohen.

A character driven play is a play where the reader or viewer gains knowledge about one or all of the character's emotions, feelings, history, viewpoints, or lessons. The play does not usually have a strong story line or direction, very strong thematic messages, or huge visual effects. An example of a "character play" is The Seagull by Anton Chekhov.

A theme play is one where the playwright is typically trying to get a message across to the reader or viewer. Character and dialogue serve the theme completely and focus attention toward the main idea. There is usually very little spectacle or lyrical language. An example of a "theme play" is Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets.

A spectacle play is a play where the audience is treated to a nonstop sensation of movement, sound, color, and overall feats of wonder. There is typically little or no character studies, themes, stories, or language, except when it serves the extravaganza. An example of a "spectacle play" is The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, written by Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke.

A language play is a play where the elegiac language is what is important. The radiant language by the playwright would probably be ruined if it had a plot line or huge spectacle, and it typically has few messages and character studies. A great "language play" is Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas.

There are, of course, many playwrights who use a combination of these elements. The best example is, of course, Shakespeare. One reason Shakespeare is highly regarded is his remarkable use of all five of the style elements. With great success, he combined amazing story lines with in-depth character studies, important and insightful themes, and an uncanny amount of spectacle.

So what style of play is Terrence McNally's Master Class?

Master Class is a "character play." The playwright presents to the audience an in-depth look at the passionate emotions, feelings, and viewpoints of the legendary Callas, and frames her emotions and beliefs with arias that parallel her life and feelings. She talks openly about herself and her work and reminisces about both joyous and painful moments in her life.

The Plot

Maria Callas has been invited to give student singers at The Juilliard School in New York City a master class. Two sopranos, Sophie and Sharon, and one tenor, Tony, have prepared an operatic aria to sing for Callas.

The Themes

The themes in Master Class are minor in relation to character; nevertheless there are several themes the playwright advances:

Collaboration is extremely important.
Hard work and dedication to your craft will advance you toward great rewards.
It is important to impart information to the next generation.
Follow your instincts and look within for guidance.
Art is imagination.
The arts are necessary for the cultivation of civilization.
Art reflects life and life reflects art.
Student and teacher are sometimes interchangeable.

The Author

Born in Florida in 1939, and raised in Corpus Christie, Texas, playwright Terrence McNally has enjoyed a career that has spanned 35 years. His plays and books for musicals continue to be increasingly complex, sophisticated and controversial. He has been hailed as one of America's most gifted and "adventurous" playwrights, and qualities that inform his work include savage wit and crackling dialogue.

His early writing featured black comedy and farce that was entertaining as well as wildly and cleverly satirical. Humor continues to inform his writing, even as the intensity of his work evolved to feature more complex and serious plot, character and thematic developments. Mortality became a consistent theme in his work and music became a common element with which to frame situations and relationships.

Highlights of Terrence McNally's plays and musical books include:

2000 - Dead Man Walking (Opera for San Francisco Opera)
2000 - The Full Monty (October on Broadway)
1998 - Corpus Christie
1997 - Ragtime (Tony Award, Best Book)
1995 - Master Class (Tony Award, Best Play)
1994 - Love, Valor, Compassion! (Tony Award, Best Play)
1994 - A Perfect Ganesh
1992 - Kiss of The Spider Woman (Tony Award, Best Book)
1991 - Lips Together, Teeth Apart
1989 - The Lisbon Traviata (also about Maria Callas)
1987 - Frankie And Johnnie in the Claire de Lune
1977 - The Rink
1975 - The Ritz
1974 - Bad Habits
1965 - And Things That Go Bump in the Night

Playwright McNally received a BA in literature from Columbia University, and continues to contribute to the future of playwrighting by providing mentorship and encouragement to upcoming writers, noting that writers are "all in this together - young and old, man and woman - and the more we help and support each other, the stronger we all are, and so is the theatre." He advises new and established playwrights to: "Write plays that matter. Raise the stakes. Shout, yell, holler, but make yourself heard. It's time for playwrights to reclaim the theatre. We do that by speaking our own unique voices. We do that by speaking from the heart about the things that matter to us. If a play isn't worth dying for... it isn't worth writing. Maybe the Great American Play will never be written, but we can make a glorious noise while trying to write it. Yes, theatre is fun. Yes, theatre is passion. But above all, theatre is the oldest way we have of trying to tell the truth about who we are. We can compete with sharks and flaming asteroids and rampaging dinosaurs. We have the English language. We have our own voice."

A member of the Dramatists Guild, the national organization of playwrights, composers and lyricists since 1970, McNally currently serves as vice president.

Maria Callas

Maria Callas was born Cecelia Sofia Maria Kalogeropoulos on December 2, 1923, in Queens, New York. Her parents, George and Evangelia Kalogeropoulos were Greek immigrants, and there were two children, Maria and an older sister Jackie. With the intention of making the United States their permanent home, the Kalogeropoulos family had their name legally changed to Callas in 1924. The family moved to Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood in 1926, and the girls attended school at P.S. 189.

Maria started her musical education at age 7 with voice and piano lessons. At a very early age, Maria was already creating an impact with her voice. In 1934, at age 11, Maria participated in an amateur radio contest for singers and won. Her first prize gift was a Bulova watch.

During the Depression money became tight for the Callas family when George, a pharmacist, lost his job and worked only sporadically. Though financially strained, Evangelia would not budge on Maria's voice lessons. This created a chasm in the marriage and Evangelia decided to leave her husband. In 1937, she booked passage on a transatlantic steamer and she and her two daughters left New York for Athens. Maria had just finished the eighth grade and, unbeknownst to her, was to have no more formal education.

In Athens Evangelia found an apartment and the women lived on charity from Evangelia's extended family. Soon after settling into their new life, Evangelia heard that the famous Spanish soprano, Elvira de Hidalgo, would be in residence at the Athens Conservatory. Evangelia concocted a plan to have Maria lie about her age in order to audition for de Hidalgo, and the plan worked, for de Hidalgo heard Callas and immediately adopted her as a full-time student with full scholarship. Under de Hidalgo's watchful eye, Maria made her stage debut in 1938 at the Conservatory as the village girl Santuzza in the one-act opera, Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni.

The specter of war came to Athens when the Italian army invaded Greece. Life became difficult as food became scarce and a curfew prevented anyone from leaving their homes. Despite the curfew, a defiant Maria crept to de Hidalgo's apartment, and continued her studies. During this time of lockdown, Maria used the Italian she was learning to great advantage for her and her family. In complete defiance of the noise restrictions, Maria would open her windows and sing Italian arias full voice. It was not uncommon to see Italian soldiers gathering outside her building listening to her beautiful voice. She began receiving gifts from the homesick Italians, and rationed food and cooking oil began to appear on her doorstep.

When the restrictions on entertainment were finally lifted, the Athens Conservatory and the Athens Opera reinstated classes and performances. Maria was hired by the Athens Opera, and she made her professional stage debut in the title role in Puccini's Tosca. It was 1941. Maria was 18.

After the war Callas returned alone to New York aboard the "Stockholm" and moved in with her father. She secured her first audition at the Metropolitan Opera, but she was not hired. She was, however, cast as the title role in Puccini's Turandot for a new Chicago opera company. But as the show was about to open the producer could not meet union demands and the production vanished. Back in New York, Maria auditioned in 1946 for the Italian tenor Giovanni Zenatello (the original Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly) who was then director of the Arena in Verona, Italy. He hired her immediately to play the title role in La Giocanda (The Ballad Singer) by Amilcare Ponchielli, opposite the well-known tenor Richard Tucker. In June, 1947, Maria left New York for Italy, and on August 2, made her official Italian debut.

While in Verona, Maria met and was courted by Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a wealthy Veronese industrialist, who was almost 25 years older than Maria. Smitten with the young singer, Meneghini became both business manager and lover and opened doors all over Italy for her.

Meneghini and Callas married in 1949. That same year, in Venice, Maria became the talk of the music world when she sang the dramatic soprano role of Brunnhilde in Richard Wagner's Die Walkure, and, three days later, the lyric soprano role of Elvira in Bellini's I Puritani. With this amazing feat, Maria attracted the attention of La Scala manager Antonio Ghiringhelli and the following year he asked Maria to substitute for the ailing Renata Tebaldi in the role of Aida. Maria's performance went unnoticed.

While in Milan, conductor and La Scala artistic director Arturo Toscanini auditioned Maria for the role of Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth and, impressed, sought a La Scala production for her in 1951. The production never happened, but Maria was engaged at the famed opera house that same year as Elena in Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani, and in the title role of Bellini's Norma. Her performances, especially in Norma, won raves. For the next two seasons Maria Callas was a popular favorite at La Scala, and worldwide recognition soon followed. Her first venture out of Italy came in 1952 when Callas went to London for her Covent Garden debut as Norma.

Now with success and fame immanent on the opera stage, offstage Maria began to find herself attracted to life in "society." Having a low self-image about her looks and weight, Maria began to imagine herself as an Audrey Hepburn "type" and she slowly shed 60 pounds. At the same time, haute couture clothing became important to her, and at 110 pounds Maria stunned the world in 1954 when news photographs of her revamped image were published all over the world. That same year, she made her American stage debut at the Lyric Opera in Chicago in the roles of Norma, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and Violetta in La Traviata. Her performances in Chicago generated great acclaim and word went out that she was "the greatest soprano in the world."

After the tremendous loss of weight, music critics worldwide began to notice a decline in the power and range of her voice. At the same time Maria began to develop vocal trouble and stage fright. Cancellations of performances began to rankle producers and audiences alike when Maria, supposedly ill, was photographed attending society parties and world-class balls.

Throughout 1955 and 1956, Maria had an extremely difficult schedule, making debuts in Berlin and Vienna (as Lucia). Finally, in 1956, Maria was hired by Rudolf Bing of the Metropolitan Opera to make her New York debut. She wowed the New York audiences as Norma.

In 1957, after a performance in Donizetti's Anna Bolena, Maria was introduced to Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis at a party given in her honor by friend and society hostess Elsa Maxwell. Onassis, won over by Maria's charm and beauty, began to make a play for her immediately. He courted Maria with extraordinary vigor and even showed up outside her bedroom window (with her husband present) to sing her Greek folk songs. Maria, wooed completely by Onassis, left her husband, and, in 1959, started a relationship with the married Greek tycoon.

With her focus now on Onassis and her voice ever diminishing, Maria's career began to falter and she started canceling more and more performances. Subsequently, her offers started to dwindle and she began each season now with only one or two offers.

Throughout the 1960's Maria lived the life of Onassis' mistress and she was shocked when after years of hoping for marriage and children, Onassis announced his intentions to marry the former First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy. Maria, hurt, retreated to her apartment in Paris and only made occasional appearances.

In 1970, Maria was cast by old friend Pier Paolo Pasolini in a non-singing film version of Medea. It was released in 1971, but the movie was not a huge success. It quietly ended Maria's film career.

In 1971, Maria was engaged to teach a series of master classes at New York's famed arts conservatory, The Juilliard School. Twice weekly for twelve weeks from October, 1971, to March, 1972, Maria gave a series of master classes to 25 Juilliard students who auditioned for the opportunity to be critiqued by Callas. The classes were open to the public and the sold-out crowd at times included opera greats Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Tito Gobi, Placido Domingo, Grace Bumbry, and Bidu Sayao, actors Lillian Gish and Ben Gazzara, and friend and renowned director, Franco Zeffirelli. The classes were an enormous success and the transcripts are published along with an audio recording of the event.

The following year, 1973, Maria tried to stage a comeback by embarking on a worldwide concert tour with old friend and sometime lover Giuseppe di Stefano. It was a huge failure due to Callas' almost completely destroyed voice. In 1974, Maria, now unable to sing, retreated for good to her Paris apartment where she became something of a recluse. She died there, alone, on September 16, 1977, of an apparent heart attack. Her ashes were flown to Greece and scattered in the Aegean Sea.

Did You Know...

Maria Callas was struck by a car on 192nd Street in Manhattan when she was 5 years old? She was in a coma for 22 days.

Books by estranged family members have been published about Maria Callas, including her mother (My Daughter Maria Callas), her sister (Sisters), and her ex-husband (My Wife Maria Callas)? They were not always kind!

Maria Callas suffered from severe myopia (shortsightedness) and refused to wear her glasses? She also hated to wear her contact lenses. This frustrated many a conductor who typically relies on a singer to watch for tempos.

When Callas left New York for her Italian debut in La Gioconda, she could not afford passage on an ocean liner and instead sailed on a cargo ship?

1950 was her peak year for singing? She sang 100 performances that year.

Maria was offered the job as Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Opera? In 1972, after her popular Juilliard Master Classes, George Moore, the president of the Met's board, offered her the coveted position. She turned it down to stage her comeback recital tour.

Maria conceived a child by Aristotle Onassis? It had been rumored that Onassis made Maria have an abortion, but documents have surfaced that Maria secretly gave birth to a boy, who died three days later. Neither theory has been sufficiently proved.

Aristotle Onassis

Aristotle Onassis was born in 1906 in Smyrna, Turkey, to Greek parentage. His father, lured to Smyrna for its vast business possibilities, quickly became wealthy. In a battle for the city of Smyrna in 1927, Turkey fought and wrested the port city from Greece. The prosperous family was thrown into a concentration camp, but Aristotle lied and persuaded the authorities that he was only 16 and shouldn't be imprisoned. It worked, and Onassis was quickly sent with other refugees to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In Argentina, Onassis worked as a telephone operator, and quickly made a fortune by planting and manufacturing tobacco. Gaining wealth and prestige, Onassis was later made Greek Consul to Argentina.

Onassis bought his first ship in 1932 and began to build one of the largest shipping empires in the world. As his wealth grew, Onassis began to develop the first super oil tanker ships, creating one of the largest empires in the world.

In 1946 Onassis married Athina Livanos, the daughter of another Greek shipping magnate, Stavros Livanos. They had two children, Alexander, born in 1949, and Christina, born in 1950.

At the same time, Onassis began building enormous whaling vessels that began to controversially scour the world for any whales they could find, slaughtering hundreds of thousands. After years of international controversy, he folded his whaling enterprise in 1956.

That same year, Onassis, believing air travel was the next frontier, founded the first and only private national airline, Olympic Airways. It consisted of 12 DC-8's and one DC-4. With Athens as its home base, Olympic Airways began flying all over the world, connecting Athens with London and Paris, Asia, and North America.

After he divorced his wife Athina in 1960, Onassis and Maria Callas were a constant item, but he was by no means faithful to her. In 1968, Onassis stunned the world with the announcement that he would marry Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, the widow of the slain American President. They were married on his private Greek island of Skorpios in the presence of family, including his sister Artemis, his two children, and Kennedy's children, John and Caroline.

In 1973, Aristotle's beloved son, Alexander, died aboard an Olympic airplane. On takeoff from Athens Airport, Alexander, a pilot, was killed when the plane he was using to train a new pilot crashed on takeoff.

In 1975, Onassis was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a muscular disease, and died on March 15, 1975. He left his estate to his daughter Christina, but Jackie Kennedy hotly contested it. When Christina died a billionaire at age 37 in 1987, her young daughter, Athina, became one of the wealthiest people in the world.

The Woman's Voice

In the opera world, human voices come in six basic varieties, from highest to lowest: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, and bass. Women and children are sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, and contraltos; most men are tenors, baritones, and basses.

The following are definitions of each female vocal type, some of the major roles they sing, and some of the famous singing actors who played those roles. It is adapted from Opera For Dummies by David Pogue and Scott Speck.

Sopranos are the highest-paid female singers. Why? First, they get the most sympathetic roles. But second, and more important, they sing the highest notes - and those are the notes that audiences pay to hear.

Coloratura sopranos are the tweety-birds of the musical aviary. Their voices sound like flutes: light, pure, and capable of great agility way up high. (In fact, coloratura arias, or songs, are often written as duets with a flute, where one imitates the other.) Coloratura roles include Lucia in Lucia de Lammermoor and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. Famous coloratura singers include Lily Pons, Joan Sutherland, and Beverly Sills.

Lyric sopranos are the white bread of sopranos; the majority of sopranos around the world, by far, fit into this category. Whenever a composer wants to write for a sweet goody-two-shoes - a virginal, pretty, young thing - she's likely to have a lyric soprano voice. Many of the best-loved operatic roles have been written for lyric sopranos, including Mimi in La Boheme, Violetta in La Traviata, plus most of Mozart's leading ladies. Famous lyric sopranos include Eleanor Steber, Mirella Freni, and Renee Fleming.

Spinto sopranos are named after the Italian word spingere, meaning "to push." These voices aren't really pushed, but they do naturally possess more power than lyric sopranos. Spinto characters are generally long-suffering, victimized women - the grand roles, the meat of the operatic repertoire, the province of the divas. Spinto roles include the title roles in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Aida, and Leonora in Il Trovatore. Famous spinto sopranos are Renata Tebaldi, and Leontyne Price.

German dramatic sopranos are the real heavy-hitters of the opera world. A German dramatic soprano doesn't have to be German, but she specializes in singing German roles, specifically those by Wagner and the title roles in two of Richard Strauss's operas, Elektra and Salome. Her voice must be able to cut through a huge orchestra; therefore, it must be both warm and metallic in color and immensely powerful. Two great German dramatic sopranos were Kirsten Flagstad and Birgit Nilsson - neither one of them German, by the way.

Mezzo-sopranos are so named because their vocal range falls about halfway between soprano and contralto. The word mezzo (MET-soe) means "half" in Italian.

Dramatic mezzos play the vamps and tramps, witches, and other wicked female roles. Most dramatic mezzo roles are the foils for the ever-pure sopranos - the evil characters that cause the sopranos all the suffering. Dramatic mezzo roles include Delilah in Samson and Delilah, Eboli in Don Carlo, Amneris in Aida, and the title role in Carmen. Famous dramatic mezzos include Giulietta Simionato, Grace Bumbry, and Dolora Zajic.

Lyric mezzo-soprano singers tend to obsess about their waistlines because they're supposed to play adolescent boys. In opera, these parts are known as trouser roles, and the two foremost examples are Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. The female lyric mezzo roles include Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Angelina in La Cenerentola (Cinderella). Famous lyric mezzo-sopranos include Frederica Von Stade and Cecelia Bartoli.

Contraltos are the lowest sounding (and by far the rarest) female voice category. Although usually assigned to play maids, mothers, and grandmothers, contraltos occasionally get deliciously juicy roles. In addition, contraltos are often assigned the roles originally written for castrati, or castrated boys. Contralto roles include Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera, the Goddess Erda in Wagner's Ring cycle, and Lucretia in The Rape of Lucretia. Famous contraltos include Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Kathleen Ferrier, and Marian Anderson.

Some singers defy the above categorization. Christa Ludwig and Victoria de los Angeles have performed both soprano and mezzo roles. Marilyn Horne has sung both mezzo and contralto roles. Jessye Norman has wrapped her voice around whatever repertoire she deems appropriate. But for breaking the rules and moving freely from one vocal category to another, no one compares with Maria Callas. She sang coloratura, dramatic, lyric, and mezzo-soprano roles. It is clear that her wish to take on roles for virtually every voice part created major vocal difficulties later in her career.

Glossary of Terms in Master Class

Bel Canto - "One of the most beautiful bel canto arias…"(Maria) Italian for "beautiful singing," bel canto is a style of opera and opera performance where the splendor of the human voice is the most important aspect of the opera, not the words or even the story. The singer's tone, texture, and vocal fireworks are thoroughly emphasized. Examples of bel canto roles include Amina in La Sonnambula and the title role in Norma.

Cabaletta - "Yes, the cabaletta." (Maria) In bel canto roles (see above) an aria has a second part, a fast section, which allows the singer to display vocal pyrotechnics. It usually has a high, sustained note at the end meant to thrill the audience.

Odysseus - "And we will name him Odysseus." (Maria) The hero of the Homer epic The Odyssey. Odysseus was the King of Ithaca and one of the leaders in the Trojan War.

Roulades - "…at the greatest theater in Europe singing roulades in full voice." (Maria) A French word meaning a succession of rapid tones sung to one syllable.

Sanskrit - "You're singing in Sanskrit." (Maria). The ancient 4th century BC Hindu language still used in Northern Buddhist religious ritual.

Sant'Andrea Della Valle - "Sant'Andrea Della Valle just off the Corso" (Maria) - The famed church (St. Andrew of the Valley) is the setting of the first act of Puccini's great opera, Tosca. The church has a great white marble hall, is glittering with gold, and is awash with bold paintings. Mattia Preti's enormous paintings (1650-51), spreading the story of St. Andrew's martyrdom across the curving apse, "have an almost unbearable impact."

Who's Who in Master Class

Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990) - One of the greatest composers of the last, or any, century, Leonard Bernstein did it all. Conductor, composer, pianist, and musical genius, Bernstein went to Harvard University where he wrote music, directed musicals, and acted. He then went to The Curtis Institute in Philadelphia where he studied piano and conducting with the great conductor, Fritz Reiner. Bernstein was appointed to his first conducting position in 1943 when he was hired as Assistant Conductor at the New York Philharmonic and was its Music Director from 1958 to 1969. In 1953, Bernstein was the first American to conduct at that bastion of Italian music, La Scala, when he conducted Maria Callas in Cherubini's Medea. They became lifelong friends.

In addition, Bernstein wrote the musicals On The Town, Wonderful Town, Candide, and West Side Story, the one-act opera, Trouble in Tahiti, and created music for three Jerome Robbins' ballets, including "Fancy Free." Bernstein also instituted the Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic, music programs especially designed for children.

Elvira de Hidalgo (1882 - 1980) - Maria Callas' principal voice teacher. De Hidalgo was born in Barcelona, Spain, and was a leading soprano in major opera houses from the time of her debut at 16 in 1900, in Naples, through her retirement in 1939. De Hidalgo went to Athens in 1939 to teach for one year at the Athens Conservatory, considered the best conservatory in Greece. When Athens was attacked by the Italians and Germans during World War II, de Hidalgo was forced to stay in Athens until the end of the war. Callas studied with de Hidalgo for four years.

Maestro (Victor) de Sabata (1893 - 1967) - One of the great conductors of the early 20th century who for twenty years was the principle conductor at La Scala. In 1951 de Sabata was appointed artistic director of La Scala, a position he filled for three years.

Antonio Ghiringhelli - The manager of La Scala from 1948 to 1972 who first hired Maria Callas to substitute for Renata Tebaldi in Aida in 1950.

Edward Johnson (1881 - 1959) - Tenor and opera manager. Born in Canada (Guelph, Ontario), Johnson became the leading tenor at the Metropolitan Opera in 1922 after roles as the leading tenor at La Scala for five years. In 1935 Johnson was appointed General Manager of the Met for which he ran for 15 years. He was succeeded by Rudolf Bing.

Mario Lanza (1921 - 1959) - According to Toscanini, one of the best voices ever. Mario Lanza did what no other opera singer had done, sold millions of copies of pop recordings and became a movie star. Born in New York, Lanza starred in films such as The Student Prince and The Great Caruso. Lanza died of a supposed mob hit in Rome after he refused to give a concert for Lucky Luchiano.

Lilli Lehmann (1848 - 1929) - born in Wurtzburg, Germany, Lilli Lehmann was considered one of the greatest Wagnerian sopranos of all time. After conquering the German opera world throughout the 1860's and 1870's, she came to the Metropolitan Opera in 1885 where she became a sensation. After retiring from singing, Lehmann became an outstanding voice teacher and an author. Lehmann was a popular Norma at the Met.

Gina Lollobrigida (born 1927) - Gina Lollobrigida was born in Subiaco, Italy, and has been called the "Mona Lisa of the Twentieth Century." A true Italian beauty, Lollobrigida was one the most looked at movie stars of the 1950's and 60's. Also an avid photographer, Lollobrigida has published books of her work. Currently, Gina Lollobrigida has been raising money for Kosovo and is running for a seat in the Italian Parliament.

Anna Magnani (1908 - 1973) - Anna Magnani was known for her earthy good looks and her incredible acting skills. Born in Rome, Anna Magnani was sought after by every major film director, Italian and American, and won an Academy Award for her role in Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo. Magnani was a huge star in Italy throughout the 1940's, '50's, and '60's, and had a long term love affair with Roberto Rossellini until he left her for Ingrid Bergman.

Maria Malibran (1808 - 1836) - Contralto who had a short but spectacular singing career throughout Europe. Born in Paris, Malibran made her debut at age 5 in the Ferdinando Paer opera, Agnese. Her official debut was in London as Rosina in The Barber of Seville, and became famous there for singing Amina in the first English translation of Bellini's La Sonnambula. Malibran died from head injuries sustained in a fall from a horse. She was the subject of the 1935 Robert Russell Bennett Opera, Maria Malibran. Callas' idol, Malibran's picture went everywhere Maria went. It was one of only two portraits in Callas' apartment when she died. The other was of her teacher, Elvira de Hidalgo.

Zinka Milanov (1906 - 1989) - Zinka Milanov was known for her extraordinarily high voice. Milanov was born in Zagreb, Croatia, and worked steadily but anonymously for many years. Milanov's fame started growing as she matured and became popular later in her career. Milanov retired at age 60, a star of the Metropolitan Opera.

Giuditta Pasta (1797 - 1865) - Soprano hailed during her day as the greatest tragic singing actress. She won great fame in such roles as Rossini's Tancredi and Desdemona in Otello. Her name is principally associated with her participation in three of composer Bellini's premieres: Amina in La Sonnambula, Norma in Norma, and Beatrice in Beatrice di Tenda.

Rosa Ponselle (1894 - 1981) - Born in Meriden, Connecticut, Rosa Ponselle was discovered by Enrico Caruso while singing in vaudeville. At the request of the great tenor, she was given an audition in 1918 at the Metropolitan Opera, and was hired immediately. Soprano Ponselle's astonishing vocal talents coupled with her great beauty made her a favorite almost immediately. Ponselle was a Met stalwart for nearly twenty years. She retired at the height of her popularity in 1937 to start a family. One of Ponselle's biggest triumphs was as Norma.

The Rainiers - More well known as Prince Rainier of Monaco (born 1923) and his wife, former movie star Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982). In 1956, the beautiful Philadelphia socialite Grace Kelly became the wife of Monaco's Prince Rainier's, ending a popular film career that included such hits as High Society, To Catch a Thief, and Rear Window. Prince Rainier and Aristotle Onassis were good friends, and Onassis used Monaco as the home base for many of his business ventures.

Beverly Sills - Born Belle Silverman in New York City in 1929, Beverly Sills is one of the most beloved sopranos of this generation. Sills made her professional debut at age 3 as Bubbles Silverman on Uncle Bob's Rainbow House radio show. Sills was a leading company member of the New York City Opera from 1955 through 1980, and after her retirement from the stage became the company's General Director then President. Since, 1993, Beverly Sills has been the chair of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts which encompasses 11 world renowned institutions including the New York City Opera, the New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Opera, and the American Ballet Theater.

Renata Scotto - Born in Savona, Italy, in 1934, Renata Scotto has been a worldwide audience favorite since her debut in Milan in 1954 as Violetta in La Traviata. Scotto filled in for Maria Callas after her controversial exit from the Edinburgh Festival in 1957. Callas was singing Amina in La Sonnambula, but had only been contracted for four performances. La Scala management advertised five, and Callas refused to do the fifth performance. La Scala, in turn, refused to admit their error and allowed Maria to take all the bad publicity.

Joan Sutherland - Born in Sydney, Australia in 1929, Sutherland has been recognized as one of the greatest sopranos of the last 50 years. Sutherland and Callas were known for singing both coloratura (very high and light) and spinto (powerful and grand) soprano roles.

Maria Taglioni (1804 - 1884) was an Italian ballet dancer. Not only was she an outstandingly graceful dancer but also one of the greatest innovators in the history of ballet. Born in Stockholm, the daughter of a Swedish mother and an Italian ballet teacher father, Maria Taglioni was trained by her father and became known for her delicate performance in her father's production of La Sylphide at the Paris Opera in 1832. Although she had neither a fine figure nor good looks, she became renowned for her brilliantly individual style and was hailed as a landmark in the romantic era of ballet, creating the image of the dancer as an ethereal floating being. One of the pioneers of dancing on the points of the toes, she also introduced such new movements as the arabesque. Her diaphanous white dresses, reaching only to calf-length, revealed the dancer's footwork as never before and were the forerunner of the modern tutu. In the 1850's, she emerged from retirement to teach at the Paris Opera, and later she moved to London and taught deportment to the children of the British royal family.

Renata Tebaldi - Born in Pesaro, Italy, in 1922, Renata Tebaldi was one of the principal sopranos at La Scala between 1949 and 1954. Considered one of the greatest voices of the century, die-hard Tebaldi fans would fill La Scala to scream and whistle while rival soprano Callas performed. Tebaldi and Callas even got into screaming matches themselves, most notably when both were in Mexico City and Sao Paolo, Brazil. The rivalry ended in 1968 when Callas went backstage at the Metropolitan Opera to congratulate Tebaldi on her performance in Adriana Lecouvrer. In front of press and photographers, the two sopranos were seen hugging, laughing, and making up. Until her death in 1977, Callas had nothing but kind words to say about her former rival.

Piero Tosi - Costume designer and art director on many Italian films, and a personal favorite of Maria Callas. He designed Zeffirelli's La Traviata (1982), Molinaro's classic La Cage aux Folles (1978), and Pasolini's Medea (1970) with Callas. Tosi has been nominated for five Academy Awards for his costume designs.

Richard Tucker (1913 - 1975) - Richard Tucker was born in Brooklyn and was one of the most popular tenors of the 20th century. He made his debut at the Met in 1945 and was a regular there for the rest of his life. One of Richard Tucker's greatest achievements was the foundation he helped create to nurture up and coming American singers.

Luchino Visconti (1906 - 1976) - Italian Opera producer, designer, and filmmaker. Visconti produced and directed only movies until he heard Callas sing Norma at La Scala in 1954. He became affiliated with La Scala where he produced operas for Callas including, La Vestale, La Traviata, Anna Bolena, La Sonnambula, and Ighegenie en Tauride. Some of Visconti's major films include The Leopard (1963) with Burt Lancaster, Death In Venice (1971) with Dirk Bogarde, and The Innocent (1976).

Franco Zeffirelli (born 1923) - Famous stage and film director and designer born in Florence, Italy. Zeffirelli began his career as an Italian stage actor, but soon became an important stage, opera, and film producer and director. Zeffirelli became known as an important interpreter of Shakespeare's plays and has filmed several, including The Taming of the Shrew (1966) with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Romeo and Juliet (1968), and Hamlet (1990) with Mel Gibson. His opera movies include La Boheme (1965) with Mirella Freni, La Traviata (1983) with Placido Domingo and Teresa Stratas, and Otello (1986) with Placido Domingo and Katia Ricciarelli. Zeffirelli's most recent movie was Tea With Mussolini (1999) with Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Cher.

The great Opera houses in Master Class

La Scala - Teatro alla Scala is the most influential opera house in Italy and one of the most important opera houses in the world. La Scala was built in Milan in 1776 on the former site of the church Santa Maria la Scala. Throughout the 19th century, La Scala premiered most of the great works by greatest Italian composers of the day: Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini. La Scala closed for lack of funds in 1897, but reopened the following year funded by the City of Milan. Famed conductor Arturo Toscanini took charge, first as chief conductor then as Artistic Director, and propelled La Scala to worldwide prominence, where it remains today.

Covent Garden - Covent Garden is the leading opera house in England, and is planted in the heart of London's produce market. Covent Garden is on the site of a former convent, and the theater was built in 1732. Covent Garden saw the premieres of George Frideric Handel's operas and oratorio's, including the Messiah. In 1968, after two centuries of use, Queen Elizabeth conferred upon Covent Garden's resident opera company the title "Royal Opera." Famous English composers to have premieres at Covent Garden include Henry Purcell and Benjamin Britten. The outside of Covent Garden is the location of the famous opening of Lerner and Loewe's musical My Fair Lady, where Eliza Doolittle is seen preparing her flowers.

Metropolitan Opera - The Metropolitan Opera was founded by several wealthy New York financiers who were tired of not getting good seats at the Academy of Music, then the foremost opera company in New York. In 1883, at Broadway and 39th Street in Manhattan, The Metropolitan Opera opened in a brand new, state-of-the-art building, and for many years presented only German operas. In 1892, the opera company switched emphasis to Italian and French opera, and if German opera was presented, it was sung in Italian only. The company moved locations in 1966 to the new Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where it joined American Ballet Theater, New York City Opera, and New York City Ballet, among other arts institutions. Famous American composers with premieres at the Met include Samuel Barber and Marvin Levy.

L'Opera - Otherwise known as Academie de Musique, L'Opera is in Paris, and is the oldest and most celebrated opera company in France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV, and has survived amidst fires, location changes, and revolutions. It has premiered many of the French operas that continue to be performed today, including the operas by Lully and Massenet. The Paris Opera House, built for the company in 1875, is the sight of Gaston Leroux's famous The Phantom of the Opera.

Summaries of Operas mentioned in Master Class

Manny: "Yesterday morning we worked on Don Carlos together. Eboli. 'O don fatale.'"

DON CARLOS by Guiseppe Verdi — Based on the true story of the Spanish Prince, Don Carlos, who in 1559 was engaged to be married to the French noblewoman Elizabeth de Valois. His father, the widower Philip II, decided to marry her instead, creating anger and resentment between father and son. At age 23, Carlos was imprisoned by his father, and slowly began to go insane. No one ever knew what happened to Don Carlos, but most likely he was assassinated while in prison on orders from his father.

Verdi's opera was based on Johann Schiller's great German play, and was originally a five act piece (entitled Don Carlo) written in French. It debuted at the Paris Opera in 1867 and was a failure. Fifteen years later, Verdi shortened, revised, and changed the opera to be sung in Italian. It was a success. The American premiere was at New York's Academy of Music in 1877.

The aria, 'O don fatale,' is sung by Princess Eboli, Elizabeth de Valois' lady-in-waiting. Eboli is in love with Don Carlos, and in Act III she betrays Elizabeth for that love. Elizabeth condemns her former friend, Eboli, to either exile or the nunnery. The act ends with Eboli singing 'O don fatale,' cursing her beauty and swearing to save Carlos from the imprisonment that has resulted from her betrayal.

Guiseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) - Born in Parma, Italy, died in Milan. One of greatest Italian opera composers, Verdi wrote many works still performed around the world. Some of his best known works include: Macbeth (1847), Luisa Miller (1849), Stiffelio (1850), Rigoletto (1851), Il Trovatore (1853), La Traviata (1853), Don Carlos (1855), Un Ballo in Maschera (1859), La Forza del Destino (1862), Aida (1871), Otello (1887), and Falstaff (1893). Verdi's operas mentioned in Master Class include Don Carlos and Macbeth.

Maria: "I think we'll stay with Lady Macbeth. The sleepwalking scene, I suppose."

MACBETH by Guiseppe Verdi — In his first adaptation of Shakespeare, Verdi has taken one of the Bard's most popular and bloody plays and created an operatic tour de force. The story is almost exactly as Shakespeare wrote it. Three witches are heard prophesying that Macbeth will first became thane and then king. King Duncan informs Macbeth that he has been appointed Thane of Cawdor and part one of the oracle comes true.

When the king spends the night at Macbeth's castle, Lady Macbeth, greedy for power, urges Macbeth to kill the king in his sleep. The King is killed (by Lady Macbeth) and Macbeth becomes king, but his guilty conscience gets the better of him. Now all that question their motives become targets for the Macbeths, and Lady Macbeth goes quietly insane. She takes to walking around the castle trying to wash imaginary blood of her hands. Macduff, whose wife and sons have been killed by Macbeth, gathers an army and eventually kills the usurper king.

Macbeth premiered at the Teatro alla Pergola in Florence, Italy, in 1847. It premiered in America at Niblo's Garden, New York City, on April 14, 1850.

In Master Class, Sharon sings Lady Macbeth's aria from Macbeth. The aria is "Vieni! t'affretta!" the "letter scene." In this aria, Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband who has written to her about the witches' prophecy.

Maria: "The sun will not fall down from the sky if there are no more Traviatas."

LA TRAVIATA by Guiseppe Verdi — La Traviata (The Lost One) is based on the famous French play by Alexandre Dumas, fils, Les dame aux Camellias, otherwise known in English as Camille. It is the story of the lovely, but ill, Violetta Valery, a lady with a questionable past, who falls in love with the boy from Provence, Alfredo. After they move in together in a little cottage in the country, Alfredo realizes that Violetta is selling off her belongings in order to support them, and he dashes off to Paris to find some cash. It is then that Alfredo's father, Giorgio, appears to reclaim his wayward son. When Violetta finds out that Alfredo's sister cannot marry until Alfredo straightens up, she agrees to give Alfredo up without letting him know. She then runs away to Paris.

At a party given by Flora, Alfredo is present, and Violetta appears with an old beau, Baron Douphol. The Baron and Alfredo are instant rivals and when Alfredo insults Violetta, the Baron challenges Alfredo to a duel.

While Violetta lays dying of tuberculosis, Alfredo's father confesses, and Alfredo rushes to Violetta's side to beg forgiveness. It is, however, too late. Violetta expires in his arms.

La Traviata is now one of the most performed operas in the musical repertory, but when it premiered in Venice in 1853, it was a huge failure. It was considered too immoral. It was given its premiere in America at the Academy of Music in New York in 1856.

Maria: "Sophie De Palma as Frasquita in Carmen."

CARMEN by Georges Bizet — Widely considered to be one of the most popular operas ever written, Carmen was considered a failure by its composer who saw the negative critical reaction to its premiere as damning. Bizet died three months later (at age 37), and some think that the perceived failure contributed to his declining health. But Carmen played an astonishing 37 times during its debut season, and was brought back the following year, a huge audience favorite.

Carmen is the story of the flirtatious gypsy girl who is loved by two hot-tempered Spanish men, Don Jose, an army officer, and Escamillo, a popular toreador. The two men fight over Carmen and she chooses Escamillo. Don Jose, unwilling to let her go, murders her while Escamillo is triumphant in a bullfight.

Carmen is one of the most widely produced opera worldwide, performed in every language and in the repertory of almost every opera company. It premiered in Paris at the Opera Comique on March 3, 1875. Originally, Carmen had dialogue between songs, but the version now performed everywhere except France, has the spoken words replaced by recitatives composed by Ernest Guiraud in 1875. The American premiere of Carmen was at New York's Academy of Music in 1878.

Frasquita is a gypsy fortuneteller and friend to Carmen who warns Carmen of Don Jose's anger. Frasquita is sung by a Soprano.

Maria: "Sophie De Palma as The Third Norn in Gotterdammerung."

DIE GOTTERDAMMERUNG by Richard Wagner — Die Gotterdammerung is the last of a German four opera cycle entitled The Ring of Nibelung, or the "ring cycle." The first plays are Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, and Siegfried, and run about 18 hours in total. Based on Norwegian folklore, the "ring cycle" has gods, water nymphs, and ugly monsters.

Die Gotterdammerung (or the Twilight of the Gods) is the story of Siegfried and Brunnhilde (famous for her breastplate and horned helmet) and her magic wedding ring that happens to be the missing ring belonging to the water nymphs. Brunnhilde refuses to give up her ring. At Seigfried's death, Brunnhilde calls to the water maidens to take the ring (in a 17 minute aria), and leaps onto horse and rides into the fire that was created to cremate her dead husband. All of Valhalla, the mountaintop home of the gods, is consumed by flames, thus ending the "era of the gods."

The Third Norn is one of three sisters of Fate who open the opera with a prologue. The three women toss a ball of Destiny Yarn back and forth, weaving the earth's destiny, when a strand breaks. They scream in horror and sink into the earth.

Die Gotterdammerung premiered at Wagner's own opera company, Bayreuth, in Bayreuth, Germany in 1876. It debuted in America at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1888.

Maria: "Amina's aria. La Sonnambula. Good luck."

LA SONNAMBULA by Vicenzo Bellini — La Sonnambula, or the sleepwalker, is the story of Amina, an orphan girl who, after being engaged to Elvino, is found in Count Rodolfo's bed, having walked in her sleep. Elvino finds her there and breaks the engagement. Refusing to believe Amina's innocence, Elvino witnesses Amina sleepwalking dangerously on a mill roof. He forgives her.

La Sonnambula was wildly popular in the 19th century after its debut at the Teatro Carcano in Milan, in 1831. Great coloratura sopranos won wild acclaim playing the orphan Amina but the opera soon was neglected. In the latter half of the 20th century, La Sonnambula was once again being produced, usually to showcase the great talents of a major diva.

The First Soprano sings "Ah! non credea mirarti," Amina's aria from La Sonnambula where she is sleepwalking on the roof of the mill. Here is the translation:

Vincenzo Bellini - (1801 - 1835) Born in Sicily, died near Paris. Italian composer known as the "apostle of lyricism." Bellini composed several masterpieces before his untimely death by dysentery. Some of his popular operas include: Il Pirata (1827), La Sonnambula (1831), Norma (1831), and Il Puritani (1835). Maria Callas had enormous success as Amina in La Sonnambula and as Norma, and became known around the world for these roles. The operas of Bellini mentioned in Master Class include La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker), Norma, and Il Pirata (The Pirate).

Maria: "I sang Norma better than anyone had in years and I interpolated a high F at the end of the first act."

NORMA by Vincenzo Bellini — Set in Roman occupied Gaul of 50 BC, Norma is about the conflict between the Romans and the Druids. As the opera opens, high priest Oroveso leads the Druids in a ceremony to signal an uprising against Roman oppression. However, Norma, Oroveso's druid daughter, is secretly in love with the Roman proconsul, Pollione, and the couple has two children. Norma, in a speech of her own to the Druids, says that the time for revolt is not now, for she is sure the Romans will be defeated by their own devices.

Pollione, however, has not been faithful to Norma, for he is now seeing the vestal virgin priestess, Adalgisa. Adalgisa, unaware that Norma has had a relationship with Pollione confides in her of her love. Norma is furious. She decides to kill her two children a la Medea, but relents at the last moment. She sends for Adalgisa and asks her to take the two children and raise them because she has decided to kill herself instead. Adalgisa refuses, saying that she will bring Pollione back to Norma.

Pollione, however, refuses, and Norma calls for war. When Pollione is discovered in cloister of the Druid virgins, he is held for questioning. Norma asks to question him alone and gives him an ultimatum: either leave without Adalgisa, or die. Pollione refuses and Norma summons the guards and priests and reports a priestess has violated her oath and must be put to death. Norma then admits that she is the unfaithful priestess, and Pollione swears to die with her. A pyre is built and the two lovers lie down together and are united in death.

Norma is considered to be Bellini's most popular opera, and the composer himself called it is masterpiece. It premiered on Dec. 26, 1831, at La Scala in Milan, and was given its American premiere, in 1841, at the Park Theater in New York. The original Norma was Callas hero Giuditta Pasta, and Norma was also the triumph of another Callas idol, Maria Malibran.

Maria: " At my final performance at La Scala in Pirata in the Mad Scene…"

IL PIRATA by Vincenzo Bellini — This opera by Bellini was out of most repertory until 1958, when it was revived after a century in Palermo, Italy. It is the story of Imogene, who tries to save her father by marrying a man she does not love and abandoning the man she does love. After her husband accuses her of adultery, her lover kills him and is doomed to die. The disastrous developments lead Imogene to insanity.

Il Pirata premiered at La Scala in 1827, and in New York in 1832. It was the first Bellini opera to play in London (1830), and Maria Callas brought new life to the opera with her acclaimed production at La Scala in 1958.

Tony: "I've chosen Tosca. Cavaradossi's aria, the first act."

TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini — Filled with sex, horror, murder, sadism, and suicide, Tosca has become one of the most performed operas ever. Based on the French play written for Sarah Bernhardt, La Tosca, by Victorean Sardou, Tosca is set in 1800, and opens at the Church of Sant'Andrea della Valle. Here the painter, Mario Cavaradossi, is painting a portrait of a beautiful young woman praying to the Virgin Mary, comparing her to the beautiful Tosca, a gorgeous prima donna. When Tosca enters she becomes jealous over the painting he is working on, but he calms her down by setting up a rendezvous later that night.

News comes of the defeat of Napoleon, and a service is to be held at the church. A police chief, Scarpia, looking for Angelotti, a Napoleon sympathizer and friend to Cavaradossi, enters the Church and discovers a fan. Wanting the beautiful singer for himself, he plans to use the fan to arouse Tosca's jealously.

Scarpia has Cavaradossi arrested after having his villa searched and when Tosca arrives to assist her lover, she is questioned about Angelotti. Hearing Cavaradossi tortured in the next room, Tosca tells Scarpia that Angelotti is indeed hidden at Cavardossi's villa. Cavaradossi is sentenced to death. Tosca suddenly plunges a knife into Scarpia's chest and escapes.

On the roof of the Castle Sant'Angelo, Cavaradossi is executed and, after the discovery of Scarpia's body, soldiers return to the roof to find Tosca distraught over the body of her lover. Tosca, not willing to be executed, flings herself over the roof of the castle.

The first performance of Tosca was given at the Theater Costanzi in Rome on January 14, 1900. It had its American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on February 4, 1901. Tosca contains some of opera's most popular arias including Tosca's famous "vissi d'arte."

In Master Class, Tony sings Cavaradossi's famous 1st act aria, "Recondita armonia." In this aria, Cavaradossi is singing to the miniature portrait of his love, Floria Tosca, rhapsodizing about her extraordinary beauty and comparing her to the Magdalen.

Giacomo Puccini - (1858 - 1924) Born in Tuscany, Italy and died in Brussels, Belgium. One of the most popular and most performed opera composer of the last 150 years. Some of his best known operas include: Manon Lescaut (1893), La Boheme (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), La Fanciulla del West (1910), Gianni Schicchi (1918), Turandot (1926). Some of the Puccini's operas mentioned in Master Class include Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Fanciulla del West, and Gianni Schicchi.

Maria: "I was cast as a nun in Suor Angelica instead."

SUOR ANGELICA by Giacomo Puccini — One of three one-act operas by Puccini that comprise "Il Trittico," (The Triptych; the other two are Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicci) Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica) is the story of a 17th century nun who has sought refuge to expiate an old sin. When her aunt, the Princess visits her, Angelica inquires about the fate of the child that she abandoned before taking vows. She finds out the child has since died. Angelica prays for forgiveness and commits suicide by drinking poison. But before she dies the Madonna, leading Angelica's child by the hand, miraculously appears to signal forgiveness.

Suor Angelica had its world premiere in America at the Metropolitan Opera in 1918. It featured superstar Geraldine Farrar as the nun, but it was a huge disappointment critically.

Tony: "I've done Billy Jackrabbit in Fanciulla del West with Opera Ohio…"

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST by Giacomo Puccini — La Fanciulla del West, or Girl of the Golden West, was based on David Belasco's play of the same name. Set in 1850 in the rugged expanse of the California Territory, La Fanciulla del West is the story of Minnie, a saloon owner who is coveted by many men, especially the jealous sheriff, Jack Rance. When a stranger, Dick Johnson, appears and wins Minnie's affections, Jack Rance is none too pleased.

It is discovered that Dick is a bandit, but a good-hearted one. Jack shoots Dick amidst a big snowstorm, and Minnie hides the wounded man. Jack discovers the bandit, and Minnie proposes a game of poker for her hand in marriage. She wins by cheating.

Later, after Minnie has nursed his wounds, a gang kidnaps Jack and takes him out to be hung. Minnie rides in on her horse, brandishing a pistol, and saves her lover.

The character of Billy Jackrabbit is one of Minnie's servants, an Indian.

La Fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910, who commissioned the work. Puccini was in America in 1907 to ready the first American production of Madama Butterfly when he saw Belasco's new, spectacular Broadway production. La Fanciulla del West starred the great Enrico Caruso.

Tony: "…I'm covering Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for Opera West."

GIANNA SCHICCI by Giacomo Puccini — Gianni Schicci is one of the one-act operas that comprises "Il Trittico." (see Suor Angelica above.)

Based on supposed actual events as recorded in Dante's Inferno, The comic opera, Gianni Schicci, is set in Florence, Italy, in 1299, and is about a family who fights over a dead relative's will.

As the story opens, wealthy Buoso Donati has just died and his family is hanging vulturously about his bed. His nephew Rinuccio finds the will, and to everyone's horror, Donati has left all his money to a monastery.

Rinuccio's girlfriend's father, Gianni Schicci, is a peasant of infinite resourcefulness, and he and Rinuccio concoct a plan. Schicci takes the place of Donati on the deathbed and surprises the doctor when he tells him he is feeling much better. He listens to each relative's wish, and sends for a notary to draw up a new will. He leaves everything to himself! The relatives are furious and begin stealing everything in sight. Schicci goes out and retrieves everything that was stolen and presents it to his daughter and her lover.

Gianni Schicci received its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in 1918.

Maria: "I had to know it when I sang Fidelio for the Germans during the Occupation during the war."

FIDELIO by Ludwig Von Beethoven — The only complete opera by this great German composer, Fidelio is set in 17th century Seville and begins when the nobleman, Florestan, is thrown into jail by an enemy Pizarro. Florestan is slowly starving to death so his wife, Leonore, disguises herself as a young boy, takes the name Fidelio, and becomes the chief jailer, Rocco's, assistant.

Rocco's daughter, Marcellina, falls in love with Fidelio, and her suitor, Jacquino, rages with jealousy. When the Prime Minister decides to inspect the jail, Pizarro gets nervous about falsely imprisoning Florestan, and decides to do away with him. Leonore stands in his way just in time for the arrival of the Prime Minister. Florestan is freed from bondage and Pizarro is arrested.

Fidelio is the only German opera between Mozart and Wagner to survive. It was first presented in Vienna at the Theater-an-der-Vien in 1805 (during the time of Napoleon's invasion), and premiered in America at the Park Theater, New York, in 1839.

Maria: "A twelve foot Lucia de Lammermoor. Whoever heard of such a thing?"

LUCIA DE LAMMERMOOR by Gaetono Donizetti — Based on Sir Walter Scott's 1819 novel The Bride of Lammermoor, Donizetti's three act opera keeps all the Scottish locations, but changes the character's names to resonate with the Italian libretto. Therefore Scott's Lucy, Henry, and Edgar become Lucia, Enrico, and Edgardo.

Set in Ravenswood, Scotland, in 1669, the opera begins when financially strained Enrico proposes to marry his sister Lucia to the wealthy Lord Arturo Bucklaw. But Lucia refuses because she loves Edgardo, her brother's biggest enemy. Enrico, who'll do anything to keep Lucia from running away with Edgardo, forges a letter from him, which states he has been unfaithful. Lucia, distracted, is immediately married to the rich Lord Bucklaw.

During the wedding ceremony, Edgardo appears swearing bloody murder. Lucia, distraught, ends up killing her new husband, then herself. After Edgardo learns of Lucia's suicide, he too, plunges a dagger into his heart.

Walter Scott based his popular novel on an actual marriage of convenience that took place in Scotland in 1669. Janet Dalrymple killed her new husband, David Dunbar, whom she had been forced to marry by her father Viscount Stair, instead of the man she really loved, Lord Rutherford. In the real case, the unsuccessful suitor was the bridegroom's uncle.

Lucia de Lammermoor was first premiered at San Carlo in Naples, Italy, in 1835. It debuted in America in 1841 at Theater d'Orleans in New Orleans.

Sharon: "I also have Queen of the Night, "Die Holle Rache."

THE MAGIC FLUTE by Wolfgang Mozart — The Magic Flute is a German "singspiel" or "song play" by one of the greatest composers of all time, Mozart. It takes place in Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses I, and is about Sarastro, the High Priest of Isis and Osiris, his estranged wife, The Queen of the Night, their daughter, Pamina, and the Prince she loves, Tamino.

Tamino is lost in the woods and is found by Papageno, a funny bird catcher, who wants to catch a wife. Three ladies in waiting to the Queen of the Night show Tamino a picture of the Queen's beautiful daughter, Pamina, who has been kidnapped. Tamino immediately falls in love and says he will help find her.

Tamino finds Pamina guarded by Monostatos. The two fall in love and Sarastro decides to test their love.

The Queen of the Night, now a bitter woman, asks her daughter in "Die Holle Rache" to avenge her against her father. It doesn't work.

After Tamino and Pamina's tests of love, The Queen of the Night, her attendants, and Monostatos are sent into the depths of the earth. Tamino and Pamina are now worthy to serve Isis and Osiris and are wed.

The Magic Flute was written in the last year of Mozart's death, and had its premiere at the Theater-auf-der-Weiden, Vienna, in 1791. It was given its American premiere at the Park Theater in New York, in 1833.

Tony: "I've also prepared Werther…"

WERTHER by Jules Massenet — Werther is a four-act French lyric drama based on the novel by Goethe. It is set in 1772 Germany, when Werther falls love with Charlotte, who happens to be engaged to his best friend, Albert. Charlotte, too, loves Werther, but feels she must dutifully marry her fiance. Charlotte finds out Werther has asked Albert for his pistols, and rushes to him through a blinding snowstorm only to discover that he has, indeed, shot himself.

Werther premiered at the Vienna Royal Opera in 1892, and was first seen in America in Chicago in 1894.

Especially for Students...

In live theatre, unlike movies and television, the actors can hear (and often see) you as easily as you can hear and see them. If you comment out loud at a live show, or read or eat, you disturb not only other members of the audience but also the people on stage, thus diminishing the performance and, ultimately, your enjoyment of it.

This doesn't mean you have to remain silent. Actors want you to respond with laughter and applause; but such responses should always be genuine and appropriate to the moment. Such inconsiderate behavior as shouting, catcalling or sustained whispering, even during blackouts, can ruin the concentration of actors and audience members alike. And throwing paper or objects of any kind towards the stage is not only rude, it's also extremely dangerous to the performers.

In the event of any student misbehavior, the relevant school will be contacted and its principal informed.

We want you to enjoy your visit to Seaside Music Theater, and we rely on you to exercise your common sense and mature judgment. Thank you for being a valuable part of our audience this season.

Bibliography

Ardoin, John. Callas at Juilliard: The Master Classes. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.
Ewen, David. The New Encyclopedia of the Opera. New York: Hill & Wang., 1971.
Kolodin, Irving. The Metropolitan Opera. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1966.
Parker, Roger. The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1994.
Pogue, David. Opera For Dummies. Chicago: IDG Books, 1997.
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