The stage costumes, dresses and jewellery of late opera singer Maria Callas are featured in an exhibition which was inaugurated in New York, yesterday,

Included in the exhibit are the dress worn by La Divina in the Tosca production directed by Franco Zeffirelli in 1965, and two dresses she wore as Violetta, the heroine of La Traviata, sung by Callas in New York in 1956 and 1958.

The costumes are post-1953, after Ms Callas, who as a young woman weighed 108 kilos, lost 40 kilos, at the request of film and theatre director Luchino Visconti.

“And in 1956, she was declared one of the 10 most elegant women in the world,” said collector Bruno Tosi, who discussed exhibit items ahead of the opening.

The personal belongings on display come from the collection of Tosi, president of the Maria Callas Cultural Association.

Among the other items are a blouse and a black skirt designed by Yves Saint-Laurent that Callas wore while studying at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York between 1971 and 1972.

Since the diva’s death in September 1977 at the age of 53, Mr Tosi has purchased at auctions items belonging to the legendary soprano, including more than 70 letters, thousands of photographs and archived articles written about her.

He is preparing to offer his collection to the city of Venice for a museum to be named for Callas, slated to open next year.

A Woman, a Voice, a Myth is organised by the Italian Cultural Institute of New York in collaboration with the Consulate General of Greece and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. It runs through March 30.