Callas 100: at the Gallerie d'Italia in Milan, 91 images of the soprano from the Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive

On the occasion of the centenary of Maria Callas ’ birth (December 2, 2023), the Gallerie d’Italia in Piazza della Scala in Milan is hosting until February 18, 2024 the exhibition Maria Callas. Portraits from the Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive, in which ninety-one images from theIntesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive covering the chronological span from 1954 to 1970 are on display.

The Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive holds a large number of photographs-negatives and vintage prints-that portray Maria Callas on public and private occasions, in a chronological span that follows the most significant years of her career, in her passages in Milan, but not only. The exhibition thus aims to present the precious heritage made up of the many vintage prints in the Publifoto Archive, many of them unpublished or never exhibited, privileging a type of images peculiar to a photojournalistic agency, portraying Callas in the everyday off-stage.

The exhibition opens and closes with two photographs depicting the soprano inside the Teatro alla Scala: the first photo, dated Dec. 1, 1954, shows her with the three great conductors Arturo Toscanini, Victor De Sabata and Antonino Votto after one of the rehearsals of La Vestale; the last one is dated Dec. 7, 1970, and depicts her return to La Scala, as a spectator, next to Wally Toscanini.

To celebrate the centenary of her birth, a number of valuable vintage prints made not only by the agency’s photographers but also by national and international authors are also on display.

The exhibition is part of Callas 100.

Image: Milan, April 1958. Maria Callas wears clothes from Biki tailoring in her home. Photo by Angelo Novi - Publifoto © Archivio Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo

Callas 100: at the Gallerie d'Italia in Milan, 91 images of the soprano from the Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive

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