Legendary singers of the bel canto era: Pauline Viardot (1821–1910; she was also a composer), Maria Malibran (1808–1836), and Giulia Grisi (1811–1869), along with a playbill for one of their favorite showcases, the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini. Left to right: Scala/White Images/Art Resource, NY; Alfredo Dagli Orti/The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY; Album/Art Resource, NY; Bettmann/CORBIS.