A diva’s story is delayed

Maria Callas in 1959 at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (Wikipedia)

After blackout sinks a free preview of ‘Master Class,’ the chamber opera about the life of Maria Callas will open Friday at the Conservatory of Music

By PEGGY ANN BLISS

Special to The STAR

Never take a new production before the footlights on a Monday may be the lesson gained by a small but tightly knit group of theater professionals after a citywide blackout caused the cancellation of their unique production of the intimate theater and chamber opera, “Master Class,” an homage to the timeless Greek-American diva Maria Callas penned by Terrence McNally.

The free performance at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music on Monday night was abruptly cancelled after the lights went out in San Juan and did not come back on in time.

Says director Gil Valenzuela: “In 40 years directing I have never ‘not opened’ on opening night.”

The six-member cast with a high-priced makeup artist and other production staff on alert since before 5 p.m. doffed their glamorous costumes and transforming makeup and headed glumly home for, perhaps, a mug of cocoa.

“We could do this work in the dark,” disappointed producer Carlos Carbonell told a milling group of equally disappointed students outside the closed theater, “but we can’t possibly do it without sound.”

Cordelia González, the celebrated Puerto Rican actress who was to incarnate the role of the great diva, rushed backstage to meet with the crestfallen group of students from Ponce, who did not expect to get another chance to see the unique performance.

The show, which first played on Broadway in 1995, has starred such luminaries as Tyne Daly, Zoe Caldwell and Patti Lupone (the original Evita), will go onstage as planned at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Monday’s unusually timed event was a free performance for Conservatory students and faculty. González, a graduate of Yale School of Drama who has been off the live stage for the last six years, calls the role “one of the greatest challenges of my career.”

The fictional account of the doomed diva’s relatively short life -- she died at 53 in 1977 -- does not feature her as the coloratura soprano that “La Callas” was, but rather as the woman whose tumultuous nine-year liaison with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis stripped her of much of the bravado and charisma which earned her the sobriquet of “La Divina” (The Divine One). Many experts called her the greatest opera singer of the 20th century (of all time, many others would say).

To immerse herself in the persona of the tragic star, González read several books about her life and listened for hours to her records.

Her face still caked in “diva” makeup, she drove to her Condado apartment, sharing her small car with a pair of stranded fans.

“I suppose I’ll continue to do so right up to the end,” she said, a bit perplexed to be in character with no outlet for her ill-fated night, but with a perfect opportunity to mold her character for yet another week.

The production’s master classes, patterned on Callas’ teaching in 1972 at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York, reflect the realism on recordings and writings from the period.

They explore the emotional impact on Callas of growing up in poverty during a major World War and her obsession with fame and perfection, as well as her choice to sacrifice her health and career for love.

Despite being adored by fans, her reputation suffered because both she and Onassis were married at the time of the affair.

She was also embittered by his refusal to marry her and the loss of their baby son hours after his birth.

Their relationship lasted until 1968, when the irascible magnate left her for the widowed former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Callas’ three vocal students in the play are interpreted by sopranos Melanie Flores and Elizabeth Rodriguez, both accomplished actors, and by tenor Christian García, one of The Caribbean Tenors quartet. With the iconic pianist Pedro Juan Hernández as their accompanist, the aspiring stars will interpret beloved arias by bel canto composers Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti, as well as more dramatic arias by the darling of the 20th century, Giacomo Puccini. Puerto Rican playwright Roberto Ramos Perea will handle the voice of Onassis, and Sebastián Valenzuela will play the stagehand.