N.21
November 25th, 2024 – Eleonora Corradi
The La Scala premiere is not only a moment of entertainment, but represents a real social and cultural ritual. It is an opportunity to celebrate Italy’s musical and operatic heritage, but also to express the identity of the city of Milan as a capital of culture and art. For Milan, La Scala is a symbol of prestige and belonging, and the Premiere is an unmissable event that brings the city together in an atmosphere of celebration and solemnity.
The opera chosen for the Premiere is often interpreted as a statement of intent: through repertoire selection and artistic interpretation, La Scala expresses a reflection on the present and future of theater and opera. For example, in recent years titles have been chosen that reflect topical issues or present new interpretations of classical works, opening up spaces for debate and cultural exchange.
The Scala audience: from tradition to opening to young people.
La Scala’s audience has always been made up of high-profile cultural enthusiasts, but in recent years the theater has implemented policies aimed at bringing in younger people as well. Thanks to initiatives such as the “Youth Premiere,” which offers students and young people under 30 the opportunity to attend a dress rehearsal of the premiere at subsidized prices, La Scala has opened its doors to an increasingly broad and diverse audience. This commitment to cultural inclusion is a sign of the theater’s vitality and its ability to renew itself while keeping tradition alive.
DID YOU KNOW?
The name “La Scala” has historical origins related to the place where the theater was built. Before the theater was built, the church of Santa Maria alla Scala stood in the area, named after Beatrice Regina della Scala, a noblewoman belonging to the Veronese Della Scala family, who was the wife of Bernabò Visconti, lord of Milan in the 14th century. To commemorate the place and history, the theater inherited the name “alla Scala” from the church, thus becoming known as Teatro alla Scala.
PAROLE DIFFICILI
Il/la palchettista: chi ha un abbonamento un palco a teatro. A person who is a box-holder in a theater.
I nobili milanesi erano spesso palchettisti del Teatro alla Scala.
Milanese aristocrats were often box-holders at La Scala Theater.
Il ridotto: ambiente del teatro nel quale il pubblico si ritrova negli intervalli di uno spettacolo. Foyer: area of the theater in which the audience gathers in the intervals of a performance.
Gli spettatori si incontrano e scambiano quattro chiacchiere nel ridotto del teatro.
Audience members meet and chat in the theater’s foyer.
La platea: superficie della sala, di fronte al palcoscenico, che ospita i posti a sedere degli spettatori. Parterre: area of the auditorium, opposite the stage, which houses the seats of the spectators.
I posti più costosi per La Scala sono in platea.
The most expensive seats for La Scala are in the parterre.
La ribalta: il bordo del proscenio, dove sono allineate le sorgenti di luce. Front of the stage: the edge of the proscenium, where the light sources are aligned.
Durante le prove generali, bisogna controllare la posizione delle luci sulla ribalta.
During the dress, you need to check the position of the lights on the front of the stage.
La fossa: zona generalmente infossata, di solito fra il proscenio e la sala, che ospita di solito l’orchestra. Orchestra pit: lowered area between the proscenium and the auditorium, that usually houses the orchestra.
Prima dell’inizio dello spettacolo, l’orchestra ha preso posto nella fossa.
Before the performance began, the orchestra took its place in the pit.
Il sipario: telone che nasconde la scena al pubblico e viene alzato e abbassato all’inizio e alla fine dello spettacolo. Curtain: tarp that hides the scene from the audience and is raised and lowered at the beginning and end of the performance.
Appena calato il sipario, il pubblico si avvia verso l’uscita.
As soon as the curtain falls, the audience heads for the exit
