Understanding artistic excellence through Maria Callas

FOR THOSE who want to explore what it means to be great and to make sacrifices for art — and for opera fans who admire legendary opera diva Maria Callas — the Philippine Opera Company’s (POC) upcoming production, Master Class, is a must-watch.

It presents a fictionalized account of masterclasses led by the real-life opera singer — played by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo — in the 1970s.

Performances will be held at RCBC Plaza’s Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium from May 15 to 30.

Written by playwright Terrence McNally, Master Class was originally performed at New York City’s John Golden Theater in 1995, directed by Leonard Foglia and starring Zoe Caldwell as Maria Callas. It went on to win multiple awards, including the Tony Award for Best Play.

The 2026 staging by POC, directed by Jaime del Mundo, comes at a time when art is devalued and overlooked in favor of digital-era trends and virality, and ultimately sanitized for political correctness.

THE VALUE OF ART
Mr. Del Mundo told the media at an April 21 preview that the audience can expect a play about love and passion, fueled by “the older generation of singers’ desire to communicate to the younger generation.”

While Master Class offers a behind-the-scenes perspective of opera, it is not a documentary. Playwright McNally wrote this after watching a masterclass by another singer and thought to combine that concept with Ms. Callas, the epitome of opera at the time, who was already getting old and teaching young singers.

“Hopefully, audiences realize through this the amount of work that goes into it, that’s demanded. It adds to the value that art has,” said Mr. Del Mundo. “One of the reasons art is glossed over is not because of a lack of exposure, but because a lot of people don’t realize the value. This play shows the blood and guts an artist gives.”

An iconic line by Ms. Callas is “ho dato tutto a te” (I gave everything to you), which encapsulates this mindset. “This play is for anyone who thinks art is important and anyone who thinks art is not important,” he added.

MILESTONE

Master Class also marks a milestone for POC, which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary season. They had already staged it back in 2010, but this anniversary revival has a different goal — to “honor the legends who shaped the operatic world while reaffirming its belief that true artistry demands courage, discipline, and soul.”

Mr. Del Mundo noted how opera was invented a long time ago and has been subject to many changes over the past several decades, from Ms. Callas’ influence to the introduction of television and now to the digital age.

“There’s a lot we can learn about it now. Years ago, when I first attended a class where an opera singer was singing, I discovered for the first time that they perspire. You never realize that they work so hard that they perspire,” he said.

B.C. AND A.C.
Maria Callas, hailed as the paramount dramatic soprano of her era, transcended boundaries in the world of opera. Born in New York City in 1923 to Greek parents, her performances in Italy earned her widespread acclaim, highlighting her remarkable versatility across a repertoire spanning Wagner, Verdi, and Puccini.

For Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo, who doesn’t have operatic training, playing the aged version of the legendary singer is a relief since it doesn’t require her to sing opera — only teach the students.

“The history of opera is often divided into B.C. and A.C. (before Callas and after Callas). She brought drama and incorporated acting to her singing,” she explained. “And she was so hard on her students because, for her, it was about passion, craft, and being the best you can be.”

The cast includes Louie Angelo Oca as the accompanist, Alexandra Bernas, Arman Ferrer, and Angeli Benipayo as Ms. Callas’ students, and Nelsito Gomez as the stage hand.

The set and projection design are by Joey Mendoza and the costume design by Zeny Gutierrez.

100% DEDICATION
Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo said she resonates with her character “quite a lot.”

“I dedicate myself 100% completely to every role. I like to think that I’m somewhere along the lines of her idea of being true to your craft,” she said. “I teach with a lot of textual analysis where, aside from the voice, we break down what you’re saying.”

There is also something more personal. “I also resonate with getting older and not being able to do the same roles. I’m at a stage where I’m going into directing, teaching, and passing things on.”

In 1971, Ms. Callas taught at the prestigious Juilliard School. These sessions, which Mr. McNally drew from in writing the play, saw her working with young singers while reflecting on her life, triumphs, sacrifices, and relentless pursuit of artistic truth.

OPERA IN THE PHILIPPINES
POC is the country’s only professional opera company that consistently produces opera and classical music performances. Established in 1999, one of its commitments is to “breaking the perception of opera as elitist.”

Because of this, it has brought performances out of traditional theater spaces and into malls, churches, schools, parks, and community centers, making classical music more accessible.

POC founder, president, and artistic director Karla Gutierrez told the media that Master Class was the perfect way to mark the 25^th season because it’s a bit like “attending Opera 101.”

“We need to tap students who can learn to appreciate opera. We’ll also have a program for teachers, where someone will adopt a teacher to watch,” she said.

The motivation for this is the problem of the Philippine education system where MAPEH — music, arts, physical education, health — teachers have a substandard, broad understanding of the four subjects they’re teaching.

“They don’t have good modules. It’s a big problem and makes it even harder to promote classical music. That’s why we do a lot of out-of-the-box productions, where I tell them it’s like watching a musical,” Ms. Gutierrez said. “That’s why POC has been focusing on the audience development program.”

In one outreach initiative in Tondo, they went to a building where the first floor was a palengke and the second floor was a school. “If you make it fun for the kids, there’s an interest. The bottom line is that we need government support. Many public schools don’t even have any instruments,” she said.

Ms. Gutierrez had considered closing down the POC in 2020 since it was not doing well. She took a leave and visited the Los Angeles Opera, where she asked about ticket sales.

“They told me that it’s a worldwide problem, and the only one making money is the Met [Metropolitan Opera in New York],” she explained. “What we did is reprogram the company to focus on students, because they will be the next ticket buyers. We’re focusing on audience development.”

Master Class runs from May 15 to 30 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave. corner Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City. Tickets are available via Ticket2Me. — Brontë H. Lacsamana