La Scala’s season opens on 7 December, Saint Ambrose’s Day, the feast day of Milan’s patron saint. The theatre also has an associate school, known as the La Scala Theatre Academy (Italian: Accademia Teatro alla Scala), which offers professional training in music, dance, stage craft and stage management. The theatre is regarded as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world and is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet and La Scala Theatre Orchestra. Most of Italy’s greatest operatic artists, and many of the finest singers from around the world, have appeared at La Scala. The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri’s Europa riconosciuta. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala).

La Scala is the abbreviation in the Italian language for the official name “Teatro alla Scala” opera house in Milan, Italy. Gustav Mahler did not perform in La Scala.You will also be able to delve into the genius of the artists whose innovative works have graced the Theatre's stage, including David Hockney and Giorgio De Chirico.

You can indulge in the luxury of browsing more than 259,000 digitized images from the theatre archive, including the sketches and pages of a rare handwritten edition of Puccini’s Turandotscore, or the first edition libretto of Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco. With Art Camera, you can even zoom in on the exquisite and most intricate details of the garments - to admire ivory brocade, golden cabochons, black velvet or ruby mirrored sequins - as worn by the operatic diva Maria Callas. From May 7th 2020, the Teatro alla Scala shares its most precious treasures with audiences around the world on the Google Arts & Culture online platform.Īs you browse the online collection, thanks to Street View you can opt for a stroll around the theatre (with 69 tours to choose from!). Step up onto the stage like an opera diva, discover everything about Luciano Pavarotti's performance in 'Aida', enjoy a ballet from a privileged position on Palco Reale, browse the Laboratorio Ansaldo, where artisans create incredible stages, backdrops, props and almost 1,000 costumes every year, including those designed by famous names such as Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent.

Puccini opera la scala