THE original diva was a soprano. A rare bird, she was coddled, swaddled, held aloft, to protect her instrument, one that could move worlds, entrance men. With the Metropolitan Opera’s season opening gala on Sept. 22, we looked back at a New York legend, Maria Callas, for her divine operatic style. This season’s divas will hit the street dressed to the nines, with a polish that’s a throw back to the couture of the early ’60s.

Fashion Photo Gallery

At the Met, Soprano Renée Fleming will wear designs created for her by John Galliano, Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel for her performances in selections from “La Traviata,” “Manon” and “Capriccio.” The gala performance is the first time such A-list designers have designed costumes for the Met. All the world’s a stage. Put a libretto in your step with the looks on the following pages.