MARIA CALLAS - SOPRANO TRIES ON CALLAS' TOSCA JEWELS

Soprano ADRIANNE PIECZONKA will wear the $85,000 (GBP42,500) crystal tiara, necklace and earrings set created for opera legend MARIA CALLAS when she debuts in the revival of TOSCA in Los Angeles on Saturday night (17May08).
Callas wore the jewellery when she played Tosca in Giacomo Puccini's opera in the 1950s.
The items, made of almost 200 Swarovski crystals by the Atelier Marangoni in Milan, Italy, have stunned Pieczonka and her castmates.
She tells the Los Angeles Times newspaper, "People were taken aback by how bright they (crystals) were during rehearsals... I hope it won't be a distraction to for the audience."