dressing Violetta-Cecil Beaton

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Anna Moffo on the set of the Italian film A Story of Love

10 November 1965
5 o'clock. The fitting of our Violetta in her Karinska costumes over. Everyone pleased. (from Beaton in The Sixties)

Cecil Beaton created glorious gowns for the  opening season of the Metropolitan Opera Company's 1966 La Traviata at Lincoln Center-dressed in the reds and golds of the Met.

For the costumes, Beaton said "I wanted the colours to have a gold light-dark but sparkling, scintillating." Karinska made the gowns and headresses-scouring about for old laces, jet, tinsel, ribbons to get the effect -a look of-lushness-a heaviness indicative of 1860 that Beaton desired. Alfred Lunt's stage sets were designed by Beaton as well.

I have the worst ear for criticism; even when I have created a stage set I like,

I always hear the woman in the back of the dress circle who says she doesn't like blue.  
Cecil Beaton 

gown for Violetta by Beaton, worn by Marisa Berenson in Vogue September 1966

In the 1966 production-Violetta was sung by coloratura soprano Anna Moffo.

 Anna Moffo- as Violetta,1966, another Violeta costume, below

Madame Karinska, Russian born costume maker was much favored by Beaton. She had won an Oscar for her work on costumes for  the 1948 film Joan of Arc. George Balanchine spoke to Beaton of her greatness-saying "There is no one like her. When she is gone, it will be finished..."

these images of the Beaton costumes-  from mille fiori here

I can always count of Bart Boehlert to be on the spot of the newest and most exciting exhibits and here is his look at Cecil Beaton: The New York Years" exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York

 the MCNY here

another costume at the Telegraph here

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La Divina La Dolce Vita Dolce Gabbana

"Some say I have a beautiful voice, some say I have not.

It is a matter of opinion. All I can say, those who don't
like it shouldn't come to hear me."

Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos

Μαρία Καλογεροπούλου

"La Divina"

02.12.1923 - 16.09.1977

...from a review of the Dolce and Gabanna show from Style.com by Nicole Phelps:

"In 1954, Maria Callas recorded a memorable version of Bellini's Norma at the Cinema Metropol, the theater where today Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana stage their fashion shows. With the legendary soprano for inspiration, their collection was unapologetically operatic."


It's all a bit cheeky-but I like it!

(all D& G images from Style.com)

"You are born an artist or you are not. And you stay an artist,

dear, even if your voice is less of a fireworks. The artist is
always there."

Callas as Violetta

Callas in Puritani

Callas in La Traviata

Callas as Norma

in her first La Traviata

LA DIVINA

"Some say I have a beautiful voice, some say I have not.

It is a matter of opinion. All I can say, those who don't
like it shouldn't come to hear me."

Maria with her dog

in Tosca at the Met

LA DIVINA

in La Traviata at La Scala

Callas performances and flowing baroque patterns for the D&G finale

last word:

"I don't need the money, dear. I work for art."