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Opening night at La Scala 2024
December 7th inaugurates the season with Verdi's La Forza del Destino
For the Milanese it's simply known as "La Scala", but the Teatro alla Scala is one of the most famous theatres in the world. A cathedral of opera, ballet and music. Some of the most celebrated operas ever written premiered on its stage, comprising Bellini's Norma, Verdi's Otello and Nabucco, Donizetti's Maria Stuarda as well as Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Turandot.
Every year, the tradition of the Prima - the first performance to inaugurate the new season - captivates the entire city. Since 1951, as decided by then director Victor De Sabata, La Scala's season has traditionally opened on December 7th, the day of Saint Ambrose, patron saint of Milano.
The Prima is a unique event which is both musical, cultural and social.
High-ranking officials from the city, the government and Italian social, economic and cultural life, along with celebrities from around the world, all strive to attend this event of the year, even if from a distance.
For those who are unable to get tickets, the opera is broadcast live across various cinemas, theatres and cultural spaces in Milano, including the magnificent Ottagono in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
This year, the opera that inaugurates the new season is Giuseppe Verdi's La Forza del Destino. You can find more details and information below.
Opening times:
6:00 pm
Ticket information:
From 100 € to 2500 €
Public transport:
UNDERGROUND
Line M1 red stop Duomo
Line M3 yellow stop Duomo or Montenapoleone
BUS
61
TRAM
1, 2, 12, 14, 16, 27
The opera will be performed on December 7th, 2024 at 6:00pm, conducted by Maestro Riccardo Chailly and directed by Leo Muscato.
La Forza del Destino is an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, first presented in 1862 in St. Petersburg before being revised and presented in its final version at La Scala in 1869.
Based on a Spanish drama by Ángel de Saavedra, it centres on an inexorable fate that overwhelms the protagonists.
The opera begins with the love story between Leonora and Don Alvaro, a young man of noble and mysterious origins. When Don Alvaro accidentally kills Leonora's father, the Marquis of Calatrava, while trying to elope with her, a tragic series of events is set in motion. Leonora's brother, Don Carlo, swears revenge on Don Alvaro for his father's death. Throughout the opera, Don Alvaro and Don Carlo meet and clash repeatedly.
In the end, fate takes its course: Don Carlo discovers Leonora's hiding place and, during a duel with Don Alvaro, he is mortally wounded. Leonora is also wounded and dies in Don Alvaro's arms who, in despair, invokes eternal peace.
The opera explores themes of fate, revenge and redemption, with powerful and dramatic musical scores that reflect the intense emotions of the characters.
The performance features a renowned and beloved cast, including Anna Netrebko as Leonora, Ludovic Tézier as Don Carlo and Jonas Kaufmann as Don Alvaro.
In the first week of December, free events across the city will bring La Forza del Destino to life in the streets, piazzas, theatres and even prisons of Milano. With the Prima Diffusa, the Municipality of Milano, in collaboration with Edison, will organise screenings, concerts, performances, exhibitions and encounters dedicated to the opening opera of La Scala's season.
Details about the Prima’s live broadcast locations and the event calendar will be revealed soon.
