Giulietta Simionato retired from the Lyric stage on February 1, 1966

"A few hours ago Mario del Monaco confirmed a rumor that I would not have credited until today. So it is really true, Giulietta Simionato will bid farewell to the stage. As a colleague and a great admirer I want to extend to you my regret for your decision and my sincere gratitude for everything beautiful and good which you have given to Italian opera without presumption, without excessive ambition, and with humble love. Please accept these lines of expression of my thanks, and allow me to speak for all your devoted admirers in expressing theirs."   Giampiero Malaspina.

"She asked for the small role of Sevilla (in La Clemenza di Tito) not in the great repertory and also new to her. This way, without anybody's knowledge she decided to leave the stage, singing on the same day she had made her debut 30 years earlier. This decision however, became known and the audience did not want her to go. There was real turmoil for almost one hour. Mafalda Favero was in the theatre, sobbing and yelling, "Giulietta, don't leave us" I still get goosebumps when I think of it. It was one of the most emotional moments of my life."   Nini Castiglione