In the autumn of 1964 an opera company of the Teatro alla Scala di Milano gave guest performances for the first time in Moscow. Only...

In the autumn of 1964 an opera company of the Teatro alla Scala di Milano gave guest performances for the first time in Moscow. Only having a short look at the cast list of the engaged artists illustrates the extraordinary requirements according to which the singers were picked for those prestigious guest performances: Fiorenza Cossotto, Birgit Nilsson, Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto, Giulietta Simionato, Gabriella Tucci, Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Rolando Panerai, Bruno Prevedi and Nicola Zaccaria. Under Herbert von Karajan's baton the performance of Messa da Requiem on September 25, 1964 with choir, soloists and the orchestra of La Scala became the most lasting success of this first trip to Russia. The exemplary quality of the choir, the four soloists and the orchestra were proven true.