“Founded in Milan in 1865 as the “First Factory of Jewellery and Arms for the Theatre” and active until its definitive closure in 2013, Corbella represented for over a century the foremost and most authoritative name in the production of stage jewellery, distinguished by the craftsmanship and evocative power of its creations.
An essential component of theatrical costume, stage jewellery belongs to a unique category of artefacts: objects that may not be precious in terms of materials, yet possess extraordinary expressive and scenographic value. Their function requires highly specific and complex qualities: they must be visible from a distance, interact effectively with stage lighting and performers’ movements, and harmonise with fabrics, costumes and accessories, thereby contributing decisively to the construction of the theatrical image. These demands were interpreted and developed over time with remarkable sensitivity and inventive spirit by the Corbella company, privileged supplier to Teatro alla Scala and collaborator with some of the most important Italian and international theatres.
Within the theatrical context, jewellery is far more than a simple ornament. It lives alongside the performer, accompanying their presence and amplifying the narrative dimension of the role, at times becoming an identifying and symbolic element of the character itself.
Drawing from Corbella’s vast and multifaceted production, the exhibition presents a significant selection of jewels associated with some of the greatest opera singers of the twentieth century: Rosetta Pampanini, Margherita Carosio, Margherita Cipolato Nicolai, Maria Caniglia, Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi and Giulietta Simionato.
For the artistic training and success of several of these singers, the figure of Tullio Serafin proved decisive. Among the most celebrated conductors of his era, Serafin established an especially significant relationship with Maria Callas, “La Divina,” with whom he shared a profound artistic and personal bond. Among the most renowned recordings by this extraordinary soprano is Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, performed in 1957 at Teatro alla Scala under Serafin’s direction. On display is the score used by the Maestro himself, enriched with handwritten annotations and interpretative notes.
The opera, left unfinished due to the composer’s death, was first performed at La Scala on 25 April 1926, featuring the elaborate stage ornaments created by Corbella, constituting one of the highest expressions of the encounter between musical art, stage design and the decorative arts. A few months later, on 16 November 1926, Tullio Serafin conducted the first performance of Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera House.
The theatres that hosted the performances of the protagonists of this exhibition – places where audiences had the privilege of hearing the exceptional expressive richness of their voices – are also spaces composed of foyers, boxes, armchairs and seating, together with their refined textile furnishings. To complete the exhibition itinerary, two prestigious creations by the historic Venetian company Rubelli, founded in 1858, are also presented: a magnificent lampas fabric created for the Teatro La Fenice and an elegant damask designed for Teatro alla Scala.
Together with the dazzling Corbella jewels, these textiles accompany visitors into the fascinating and visionary world of melodrama and opera theatre, restoring its aesthetic, symbolic and cultural value.”.

Paola Venturelli