 La Scala, Milan. Courtesy of IAT Ufficio Informazioni e Accoglienza Turistica Milano La ScalaWhen: Daily Where: La Scala Rating:  The world's favourite opera house, La Scala, on Piazza della Scala, boasts a recently-restored dazzling red velvet auditorium. Audiences at the exquisite performances of Italian operas and ballets are often dotted with international dignitaries. Book tickets before the season starts (December 7). La Scala now boasts a brand-new technologically advanced stage to match its enchanting atmosphere and one of the most prestigious theatre museums in Europe.
Designed by Piermarini, the theatre was built between 1776 and 1778 under the patronage of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria when much of Northern Italy was ruled by the Habsburg dynasty.
During the course of the 19th century, however, La Scala was to become a symbol of the Risorgimento, the struggle for Italian unification, largely through its link with the life of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi. His stirring arias, often not-so-veiled references to yearnings of the oppressed, became patriotic calls-to-arms. The theatre's civic significance was crowned in 1872, when it became the property of the City of Milan.
During the First World War La Scala closed down and was reopened thanks to the personal involvement of legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini, who became director during one of the House's most magnificent periods. It was bombed during the Second World War and once again Toscanini came to the rescue, partly funding its reconstruction with money raised by his concerts.
La Scala is one of the meeting points for Milan's élite. The repertoire is distinct in that, even though it often programmes the Italian opera classics, it also champions unusual gems. The Domenica alla Scala (Sunday at La Scala) initiative programmes a series of four concerts on Sunday afternoons, with free admission for any child accompanied by an adult.
Tourist OfficeMilan Tourist Information Office
Piazza Duomo 19/a (basement)
Phone: +39 02 7740 4343 (in UK +44 (0) 20 7408 1254)
Fax: +39 02 725 24 350
E-mail: , iat.info@provincia.milano.it
| |
