Verdi: La traviata

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Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano

Carlo Maria Giulini

Violetta, the most complex and fully-rounded of Verdi’s heroines, was one of the roles that defined Maria Callas as an artist. She performed it more than 60 times between 1951 and 1958, most famously on this opening performance of La traviata in Luchino Visconti’s production on 28 May 1955. More than 60 years on, her characterisation, in its subtlety and truth, still sets the standard for La traviata.

Violetta Valéry: Maria Callas

Alfredo Germont: Giuseppe Di Stefano

Giorgio Germont: Ettore Bastianini

Flora Bervoix: Silvana Zanolli

Annina: Luisa Mandelli

Gastone: Giuseppe Zampieri

Il barone Douphal: Arturo La Porta

Il marchese d’Obigny: Antonio Zerbini

Il dottore Grenvil: Silvio Maionica

Giuseppe: Franco Ricciardi