The Distinctive Baritone said: "I've seen the play only once (with Boggess and Tyne Daley), but from what I remember, Sharon is the third student to perform in the master class. She is really talented, and is singing an aria fromone of Callas' former roles (I think Lady M in the opera of Macbeth?), and Callas is abusive towards her, causing Sharon to stand up to her and call her out on her sh*t. It's a big confrontation scene that leaves Callas rattled as the play ends.
That said, I am sure there are Terrence McNally fans out there who can provide a better synopsis."
This is a good basic synopsis, but there are a few other things to take into account. It's easy to forget, given some of the women who've played the role, but Callas is meant to be young -- late forties. By all rights, she should still be in the midst of an active career, but hers was essentially over by that point, ruined by early vocal decline and scandal. So she's bitter and resentful, to a degree. She recognizes Sharon's talent and ambition, which remind her of herself, and she does feel the jealousy that Sharon ultimately calls her on. The scene is very much about the realization that Callas's career as an opera singer -- and thus a major way in which she identified herself -- is over, and there's a younger generation at her heels. She has to consider her mortality and how she'll be remembered. She is also tough on Sharon *because* she recognizes her talent and thinks she can take it.
