Maria Callas’ costume for Macbeth at La Scala in 1952 in photos

Maria Cal­las’ cos­tumes evoke a spe­cial fris­son of excite­ment: know­ing that she was wear­ing it when she sang a role so loved from a record­ing, and, for a few, hav­ing actu­ally seen her 60 years ago in the theatre dressed in the same cos­tume now sit­ting on a mannequin.

Milan’s Teatro alla Scala pre­serves these cos­tumes, and those of many other legendary opera sing­ers, with lov­ing care. There is no per­man­ent exhib­i­tion of cos­tumes at the theatre or its museum, some­thing which should be redressed (pun intended).

Here are some pho­tos of the cos­tume designed for Cal­las’ Lady Macbeth by Nic­ola Benois in 1952.

Maria Cal­las with the sov­rin­tend­ente of La Scala, Ant­o­nio Ghir­inghelli, 1952

Maria Cal­las’ cos­tume for Lady Macbeth designed by Nic­ola Benois.

Maria Cal­las as Lady Macbeth, Teatro alla Scala 1952

Maria Cal­las’ cos­tume for Lady Macbeth designed by Nic­ola Benois.

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