MASTER CLASS

Smock Alley Theatre, 2023

Passionate, fascinating and supremely talented, Maria Callas remains the pinnacle of operatic stardom. Famous for musical virtuosity, elegance and a sharp temper, Callas was a unique and towering talent.

Terrence McNally’s award-winning play invites an audience in to hear Callas speak in her own voice. Inspired by a series of real masterclasses given at The Juilliard School NY, we encounter Callas’ public lessons about music and performance as well as some of her most private and intimate memories.

To mark the centenary of Callas’ birth, Smock Alley & Once Off Productions we’re proud to present the Irish premiere of Master Class in May 2023. Hugely successful on Broadway and the West End, this new Irish production directed by Conor Hanratty saw Smock Alley transformed into an intimate concert space, allowing audiences encounter the magnetism of this great singer up close and personal.

Creative Team

Director Conor Hanratty

Written by Terrence McNally

Performed by Caitríona Ní Mhurchú as Maria Callas
with Niall Kinsella, Rebecca Rodgers, Leo Hanna, Gillian Roberts and Kelli-Ann Masterson

Lighting and Set Design by Paul Keogan

Costume Design by Maree Kearns

Sound Design by Fiona Sheil

Stage Manager Zoe Reynolds

Line Producer Michael Anthony Greene

Producer Orla Flanagan

Production Photography Ste Murray

Dates

11-27th May 2023: Smock Alley Theatre

Photos by Ste Murray

“What really moves me about the play is McNally’s extraordinary way of blending music and text, creating a love letter to Maria Callas and to the art form she herself loved. What with this year being Callas’ centenary, it feels like a perfect time to stage it. ”

- Conor Hanratty on Master Class for RTÉ Culture