Callas at Juilliard: The Master Classes
by John Ardoin
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Book Summary Information
Author: John ArdoinBrand: Amadeus Press
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-03-01
ISBN: 1574670425
Number of pages: 306
Publisher: Amadeus Press
Product features:
- Published by Amadeus Press 306 Pages
- The Master Classes by John Ardoin
- Author: John Ardoin
Book Reviews of Callas at Juilliard: The Master Classes
Book Review: A fine Tribute to Musical Genius
Summary: 5 Stars
Although this book is reserved for music majors and/or aspiring opera singers, one does not need to be either to be interested in what makes the talent and genius that is "Maria Callas" tick.
This "masters series" came about during a period when Callas was in semi-retirement. It was a hectic period in her life: Her public fights and eventual breakup with Ari Onasis; photos of her exiting cabs without underwear, etc. So in a real sense this series was as much therapy for her prior to any contemplation of a comeback, as it was her way of "giving back" to the field that had given so much to her.
My interest in this book grows only out of profound respect for the immensity of her talent, which can only be classified as genius. It is also a singular expression of my love for her immense talent. Although I was once a musician and still enjoy and try to stay atop of the best of the musical genres, if I were to be completely honest, except for Callas, opera is way down on my list of musical interests. However, once one has listened to Callas, ones perception of the world of music is forever altered -- altered in the same way that it might change after having listened to Miles Davis or John Coltrane, or Sting. Listening to Callas is a transcendental experience of powerful porportions.
Callas in the same way as do Coltrane and Miles, communicates directly to the soul, her vocal interpretations go directly to the emotional dimension of ones very being. They alone place her in the Pantheon of the musical gods. And as a result, one cannot listen to her and remain emotionally neutral, or remain in a purely academic mode (as I do for most opera). Every Callas song, every Callas aria is an event in itself -- a singular new creative contribution to the world -- that makes the emotions stand at attention. Her musical interpretations are themselves a force of nature.
Intuitively, the mind of the listener knows this before hand and prepares itself for something big about to happen. She rarely disappoints. Here the master of her instrument, the voice, shares with 23 carefully selected students at Julliard what it is about her technique that gives her an edge over the competition (and that puts her in a class to herself). And what we learn from this book (as it seems is always the case) is that: rising to the level of emotional catharsis is as much about careful training, being carefully mentored, careful observation and practice as it is about musical genius. Callas is not so much "idiosyncratic diva" as she is a deep student of many musical traditions. (Why should we be surprised to discover this?)
Thank the gods for ipods, so that as I read, I can just "dial up" the relevant pieces and listen to them privately as she explains what she is doing. Life does not get much better than this. Five Stars.
Summary of Callas at Juilliard: The Master Classes
Maria Callas returned to the stage in 1971 to teach master classes at Juilliard. This intriguing forum later inspired Terrence McNally's acclaimed play Master Class. Outspoken and uncompromising in her artistic beliefs, Callas worked through her legendary arias from Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, and others. John Ardoin brilliantly captures the insights of a thoughtful singer who reveals herself to be not the imperious diva of her reputation, but a supremely self-aware artist concerned with passing along a great musical tradition.It proved its value repeatedly over the years, but John Ardoin's 1987 Callas at Juilliard mysteriously slipped out of print some time ago. Callas conducted 23 two-hour opera master classes in 1971 and 1972; Ardoin transcribed and arranged these working sessions on more than 70 arias. Far from the stereotypical self-serving diva putting in a personal appearance, Callas was remarkably practical and specific in her observations. Recurrent themes include diction (particularly the expressive uses of consonants) and the necessity of finding a natural flow for the accents of the words, scrupulously applied to the rhythms of the notes. Callas offered her own ornaments, cadenzas, alterations of word placement, and even cuts; all of these are supplied in musical notation among the copious musical examples in the book. Although she might have been expected to concentrate on soprano repertoire, Callas in fact covered not only arias for all of the other voice categories but also duets (from Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Cavalleria Rusticana). Often what Callas asked for was more easily said than done, and the overriding impression is of how exacting the profession really is. (Fans of the Terrence McNally play Master Class will be interested to know that Callas actually was conversant with the tenor arias in Tosca.) Amadeus Press deserves lasting gratitude for restoring this volume; it is to be hoped that someone will rescue Ardoin's 1974 study Callas, written with Gerald Fitzgerald, which is still the best book about the performer's art. --William R. Braun
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