ay , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁three ▁un related ▁Mill ay ▁po ems ▁that ▁he ▁selected ▁for ▁his ▁cycle ▁were ▁apt ▁for ▁telling ▁O ph elia ' s ▁story . ▁ ▁Final ▁Mon olog ue ▁from ▁Master ▁Class ▁was ▁commission ed ▁for ▁mez zo - s op rano ▁Joy ce ▁Di Don ato ▁by ▁R ust y ▁Rol land ▁in ▁memory ▁of ▁James ▁Schw ab acher ▁and ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁the ▁f ift i eth ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ola ▁Opera ▁Program . ▁It ▁was ▁premier ed ▁by ▁Di Don ato ▁at ▁the ▁g ala ▁that ▁Mer ola ▁mounted ▁in ▁honour ▁of ▁Schw ab acher ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Master ▁Class ▁is ▁a ▁play ▁about ▁the ▁Greek ▁American ▁oper atic ▁sop rano ▁Maria ▁Call as : ▁the ▁mon olog ue ▁is ▁a ▁sc ena ▁in ▁which ▁Call as ▁p onders ▁music ▁and ▁her ▁career ▁after ▁a ▁student ▁has ▁accused ▁her ▁of ▁being ▁r ash , ▁call ous ▁and ▁self ish . ▁ ▁Rec ording ▁The ▁album ▁was ▁recorded ▁on ▁ 2 1 - 2 4 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁and ▁ 1 2 - 1 3 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁at ▁Sky walk er ▁Sound , ▁N icas io , ▁California . ▁ ▁Cover ▁art ▁The ▁cover ▁of ▁the ▁album ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁its ▁art ▁director , ▁Alan ▁T rug man , ▁and ▁features ▁a ▁photograph ▁by ▁Jay ▁Elli ott ▁of ▁j ay elli ott photo . com .