R.I.P: Opera Legend Joan Sutherland

On October 11, 2010, opera lost one of its brightest stars: Australian coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland, dubbed "The Voice of the Century" by no less than Luciano Pavarotti, died at her home near Montreux, Switzerland. In 1961, LIFE's legendary photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt covered the diva's grand debut at the Metropolitan Opera, in Lucia di Lammermoor -- the performance that is said to have launched her international career. Here, see photos of Sutherland, on stage and behind the scenes, from this pivotal moment in her career.