The Maria Callas Museum of the City of Athens welcomes two iconic costumes from the Milan Scala

From today, Tuesday 21 November, visitors of the Maria Callas Museum of the Municipality of Athens will have the opportunity to witness two iconic Maria Callas costumes that arrived in Athens directly from Teatro alla Scala of Milan.

In the context of the celebration of the 100 years since Maria Callas’ birth, the Maria Callas Museum of the Municipality of Athens is strengthening its collaboration with Teatro alla Scala and will be exhibiting two theatrical costumes from the performances starring Maria Callas in Milan, during the 1952-1957 theatrical period. These are the costumes from the performances Iphigenia in Tauris (1956/1957 season) and Macbeth (1952/1953 season).

About the costumes:

Maria Callas performed the role of Iphigenia in the performance Iphigenia in Tauris (1957), by Christoph Willibald Gluck, at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan under the direction of Luchino Visconti. The costume from the performance, which will be hosted at the Maria Callas Museum, was designed by Nicola Benois and the inspiration for its creation comes from the works of artists such as the Italian artists Veronese and Tiepolo.

The second theatrical costume which will be on display, also designed by Nicola Benois, in a medieval style, was the costume worn by Maria Callas in Macbeth (1952) performing as Lady Macbeth, by Giuseppe Verdi, directed by Carl Ebert at the Teatro alla Scala.

Maria Callas Museum and Teatro alla Scala

The Maria Callas Museum of the Municipality of Athens honors the Teatro alla Scala and Maria Callas’ historical relationship with this venue, by presenting in its exhibition since its opening, other documents that the Teatro alla Scala has lent to the Maria Callas Museum, such as photographs and posters from the performances in which Maria Callas starred in, such as Aida (1949-50) and I vespri siciliani (1951-52), Il ratto dal seraglio (1951-52), Norma (1951-52, 1955-56), Il trovatore (1952-53), La Gioconda (1952-53), Macbeth (1952-53), Don Carlo (1953-54), La Traviata (1954-55, 1955-56), Poliuto (1960-61), sketches of theatrical costumes and sets such as Iphigenia in Tauride (1955-56), La sonnambula (1954-55), Ratto dal seraglio (1951-52), as well as audiovisual material from her own interviews, referring to her years of collaboration with the theatre during her professional career.

*The costumes will remain in the Museum until May 2024.