According to an article published by neoskosmos.com, celebrated Greek Australian actress and singer Maria Mercedes is preparing to tackle the central role in Terrence McNally’s Tony award-winning play Master Class for Melbourne audiences.

“While Hollywood is waiting for Meryl Streep to take on the role of a famous soprano in the new HBO series, celebrated Greek Australian performer Maria Mercedes will be taking on the role of a lifetime as the legendary Greek American opera singer Maria Callas,” states the article.

“Maria Callas is my dream role,” says Mercedes, “and I couldn’t be more thrilled to honour the life of a woman I admire not only for her incredible artistry and passion, but for the daring, honest way she lived her life.”

The first production of new theatre company Left Bauer, Master Class will be staged at Melbourne’s fortyfivedownstairs in August, and tells the story of Maria Callas’ 1971 visit to New York’s Juilliard School of Music to hold a voice master class. The glamorous, larger-than life diva, alternately dismayed and impressed by the students, retreats into recollections about the glories of her own life and career, including her younger years as an ugly duckling, the unforgiving press that savaged her early performances, her triumphs at La Scala, and her affair with Aristotle Onassis.

The play is on from 19 to 28 August, Tuesdays to Saturday at 8.oo pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 4.30pm. For more information, visit www.leftbauerproductions.com/master-class

Source: neoskosmos.com