Callas rehearsing La Vestale at la Scala 1954

[helgeevju]

I thought so. Stignani was a magnificent singer too, and Callas had the strongest admiration for her. About the happy end, that actually happens a lot in early 19th century opera, a tradition from the previous century. People simply got too upset if their heroes and heroines died, I suppose. Rossini wrote alternative happy endings both to "Tancredi" and "Otello",!

[helgeevju]

Is it Stignani standing beside her at the piano?

[MariaCallasLegend]

@helgeevju yes!!

[Ariadne7710]

Amazingly it ends happily. Thunder from heaven re-ignites the vestal flame which went out while the two lovers weren't looking (hahaha)and only if it re-ignited by miracle could Giula (the vestal virgin) be saved from death on the pyre :) You asked! but the music is sublime and Callas was even more sublime in it.

[bodiloto]

SUBLIME!!!!

[domisoldo12]

What she was looking at us .....

Astray ... Astray ...

[shaby3333]

beautiful pictures..a real tresure.

[d3liriumtr3m3ns]

this is my favourite opera but i don't yet even know what it's about

[OriginalBasaliskos]

About a woman torn between her duty and her love. Look up what a vestal is and that should give you some background information.

[williefogle]

Very, very nice.

[foropera]

Thank you so much for the job, beautifully done; it's wondeful to see al this material here, and there are here some beautiful unknown pictures to me.

[tazkorinthos]

Callas was perfectionist in whatever she did....

[saverioorlando]

Interesting document,grazie