By Matthew Wexler
“If I sing at La Scala it will be on my own terms or not at all,” exclaims opera diva Maria Gadalena Galas when presented with the opportunity to sing at the famed Italian opera house in Galas, Charles Ludlam’s “modern tragedy” (or more accurately, high-camp comedy), being presented in a rare revival at Little Island. The same might be said for director Eric Ting and a first-rate company led by countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role.
Produced originally by Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company in 1983 at the Sheridan Square Theatre, Galas marks another epic turn in Little Island’s summer season under producing artistic director Zack Winokur. Imbued with a queer and multicultural sensibility that leverages joy as a palpable resistance to recent attacks on the arts and the LGBTQ+ community, Galas brings high theatrics loosely inspired by the life of opera singer Maria Callas.
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Ludlam, though ridiculously talented as his theater company name suggests, was not an opera singer. By contrast, Constanzo brings the camp, couture (thanks to Jackson Wiederhoeft’s costume designs), and coloratura to the role. Carmelita Tropicana as her aging husband-manager Giovanni Baptista Mercanteggini, Broadway vet Mary Testa as Galas’ maid with some vocal chops of her own, and a chameleon-like ensemble provide plenty of fodder for Costanzo to feast on.
The Amph’s picturesque open-air setting works particularly well in a wild scene in which Galas sets sail with Aristotle Plato Socrates Odysseus (a nod to Callas’ affair with Aristotle Onassis). At other times, the steep al fresco seating diffuses Ludlam’s sharp-witted writing as words and gestures cascade into the night—a vast expansion from Ludlam’s original 150-seat avant-garde home in the West Village.
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Still, director Ting keeps the stakes high, which feels particularly palpable for the world we’re living in. When asked by her husband if she loves music, Galas replies, “I wouldn’t dare. Art is so great it frightens me sometimes.”
Galas plays at Little Island through September 28.
‘Galas’ takeaway
Fans of Maria Callas can head to the Maria Callas Museum in Athens, Greece. Opened in October 2023, the museum features tributes to the three operas for which she was famous (Norma, Tosca, and La Traviata), excerpts from her masterclasses at Juilliard, and a wealth of personal and professional memorabilia.
