The Philippine Opera Company brings one of theater’s most compelling portraits of artistic greatness to the stage with Master Class, the Tony Award-winning play by Terrence McNally, opening this May in Makati.

Taking on the formidable role of legendary opera diva Maria Callas is acclaimed theater actress Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, in a production directed by Jaime del Mundo. The play will run throughout May at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza, with Friday and Saturday evening performances and weekend matinees.

First premiered in 1995, Master Class imagines a series of public voice lessons conducted by Callas at the prestigious Juilliard School in the early 1970s. Through these sessions, audiences witness the fierce discipline, uncompromising standards, and complex emotional world of one of the greatest opera singers in history.

While rooted in the world of opera, Master Class is not an opera itself. Instead, it is a riveting theatrical drama that blends spoken dialogue with live operatic excerpts. The play offers an intimate glimpse into the mind of an artist who demanded excellence not only from her students but from herself.

Throughout the performance, Callas works with three young opera students, each representing different strengths and vulnerabilities—raw talent, technical precision, ambition, and insecurity. Through their interactions, the audience is drawn into Callas’ reflections on artistry, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of greatness.

As the lessons unfold, fragments of Callas’ own life surface, revealing the triumphs and heartbreaks that shaped the legendary soprano. Among these is her deeply personal relationship with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, a chapter that adds poignancy to the portrait of an artist whose brilliance came at a profound emotional cost.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, as well as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Play, Master Class remains one of Terrence McNally’s most celebrated works.

With Lauchengco-Yulo stepping into the role of the commanding La Divina, audiences can expect a performance that captures the intensity, wit, and vulnerability of Maria Callas.

The production promises not only a celebration of opera and theater but also a powerful exploration of what it truly means to devote one’s life to art.

For sponsorships and show-buying inquiries, interested parties may contact 0917 645 2946. 

Stay tuned for updates and announcements are available through the Philippine Opera Company’s official social media channels.