37 years after her death, soprano Maria Callas returns to the stage.
The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre kicks off its 40th anniversary season with a new production of the original 1995 Terrance McNally play, Master Class. Milwaukee actress Angela Iannone stars as Callas, and the show is directed by Jill Anna Ponasik, the artistic director of the Milwaukee Opera Theatre and James Zager, the head of theatre and arts management at Carroll University.
Master Class, which is based on the real life classes the diva taught at Juilliard in the 1970s, showcases her musical versatility, her acting skills, and her complete dedication to her art. And it explains a bit why Callas remains a figure of fascination and obsession so many years after her death.
Part of that mystique is that audiences loved her. She once received a 26 minute ovation at La Scala in Milan by simply walking out onto the stage. Jill Anna Ponasik says it's also about her unique sound.
“You can always tell it’s her. I think we’re in an age now where we tend to iron out quirks. We have an abundance of beautiful singers who really have solid technique and sing safely and can sustain their singing for a long time. But you might not be able to tell soprano A from soprano B” says Ponasik .
Master Class opens Friday evening at the Broadway Theatre Center. Visit our contestspage for more information on how to win tickets to the production.
