Those who complain about innovative but traditionally inappropriate stagings and costumes should be outraged by this image of Callas. A druidess In the forest!?!? Satin and silk, peach and pastels?!? Zeffirelli may be no Visconti or Pasolini but he knew what Callas needed to be and here he is inspired. Her beauty was everything. The voice in tatters inevitably constraining the ever greater Artistry for the ears therefore the visual presence now at its most momentous needed to be Glorified to fullest measure. And this he most definitely did here. What is this creature so imperious so sensuous so sublime so human. Superhuman Beauty. Genius.
The best tenor soprano aria ever written, performed by the best soprano, THE Norma!Fillipeschi is great although I prefer Del Monaco or Corelli.