La Scala Theater

The theater building was constructed on the site of the ancient Milanese church of Santa Maria della Scala. Dating back to the second half of the 14th century, this church had its patroness – Beatrice Regina from the noble della Scala family.

La Scala Theater in Milan, also known as Teatro alla Scala, was founded by decree of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa as a replacement for the Milan Royal Theater, which burned down in 1776. The construction of the building began in 1776 on the site of the demolished Gothic church of Santa Maria della Scala. The theater was named after this church. An interesting fact: during the preparation of the foundation for the construction of La Scala, a massive marble stone with the image of Pylades, a famous mime from the era of Ancient Rome, was discovered.

The theater building, designed by architect Giuseppe Piermarini (1734-1808), featured the popular neoclassical style of the time. The building was 100 meters long and 38 meters wide. The building's facade had a portal designed for the entrance of carriages. The interior of the auditorium was known for its impeccable acoustics.

The opera hall was designed in the shape of a large horseshoe, equipped with the classical tiered model of box arrangement (5 tiers and about 200 boxes, each capable of accommodating up to 10 visitors). The decor, done in light and warm-golden tones, was striking in its elegance.

Lighting in the theater was modest: candles burned in the boxes, and spectators in the stalls preferred not to remove their headwear due to dripping wax. In its early years, the theater was used for any events - from bullfights to gambling.

The grand opening of the theater took place in 1778 with Antonio Salieri's opera "Europa riconosciuta", which Salieri wrote specifically for La Scala.

The theater building underwent numerous changes and restorations. In 1943, during World War II, La Scala was destroyed. In 1945, after the liberation of Italy, Arturo Toscanini, the theater's conductor, sent a million lire for its reconstruction. La Scala was restored in 1946.

In the post-war years, Teatro alla Scala underwent several reconstructions. The latest of these began in 2001, led by architect Mario Botta, and lasted until 2004. The theater's main stage was redesigned to accommodate up to three acts simultaneously. The overall number of seats for spectators was reduced.

Today, the external modesty of the facade merely highlights the rich decor of the interior. Despite numerous restorations, the theatrical ambiance remains the same as during the reign of the royal dynasty. The opera house is horseshoe-shaped. The seats are upholstered in rich fabric, the walls are adorned with stucco and gilding. Every square centimeter of the room, steeped in luxury and opulence, has been unrivaled in acoustics since the 18th century.

The theater stage extends 30 meters deep. Notably, everything behind it occurs almost the same as many years ago. It's a principled choice of the theater's administration and the stage workers' union to preserve manual control over the mechanisms as much as possible. For instance, the machinery is still raised and lowered using 18 huge cast iron wheels, manually operated by the same number of workers.

The theater opens its season on December 7. This date is no coincidence - it is the day of Milan's patron saint, Ambrose.

Today, La Scala continues to remain a leading global opera theater, attracting the best talents from all over the world. Its repertoire includes both classic operas and contemporary works, as well as ballets and classical music concerts.

The theater is also known for its orchestra, choir, ballet troupe, and vocal arts academy, where the future stars of opera are trained.

An important part of La Scala's activities is the conduct of various cultural and educational programs aimed at attracting new audiences and supporting young talents.

La Scala not only preserves the traditions of classical opera but also contributes to the development and popularization of opera art in the 21st century, remaining one of the symbols of Italy's cultural heritage.

The theater's contemporary repertoire is designed for a variety of tastes, where one can attend performances of classics – Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Bellini, Rossini, Gounod, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Donizetti. Trendy novelties and alternative readings of well-known works are also regularly present in La Scala's repertoire.