Callas, Maria. (1923–1977) Original Photograph after the 1958 Rome WalkoutThe great soprano is shown being comforted by her longtime friend, Elsa Maxwell, following the famously abbreviated January 1958 Norma performance. Italy's president was in attendance for the opening night of the Rome Opera House, and though Callas had felt ill and warned the house to have a standby ready (they refused, and said "nobody can double Callas"), she agreed to go ahead with the performance. A bootleg recording of Act 1 survives and reveals