La Scala di Milano

My uncle and his family live in Milano. Many years ago, while in my teens, I remember he took me to La Scala. I remember sitting in one of the red velvet palchi, my mouth agape at the beautiful architecture and gold gilt. I was transfixed, speechless, overwhelmed at the antiquity, the history, as if the whispers of those before us still lingered there somehow. It was an experience I have never forgotten and never will.



Prior to 1776, the structure that once stood there was called Teatro Ducale. After a carnival gala on February 1776, the Teatro caught fire and it was destroyed.

Many Milanese socialites who owned palchi (private boxes) in the theatre, wrote to Archduke Ferdinand I of Austria and asked him for a new theatre. They also requested a provisional teatro be identified while a new structure was being built. He whole heartedly approved.

Neoclassical architect, Giuseppe Piermarini, produced the first design for the new theatre, but Count Firmian, an Austrian governor, rejected the plans.

Later in 1776, Empress Maria Theresa approved a second plan. It was to be built on the location where the church of Santa Maria della Scala stood. This is where the new theatre got its name. So the church was deconsecrated and demolished.

Under the guidance of master contractors Pietro Marliani, Pietro Nosetti, and Antonio and Giuseppe Fe, the new structure took a little more than two years to complete.

La Scala of Milano boasts over 3,000 seats within 678 pit-stalls within in six tiers of boxes above which is the Loggia or two galleries. The stage at La Scala is the largest in Italy.

To fund the endeavour, the contractors sold each of the palchi. The owners were permitted to lavishly decorate them as they wished.

In Milano's high society, La Scala became the preeminent meeting place for noble and wealthy Milanese people. It was customary for the main floor to have no chairs. Spectators always watched the shows standing. There was no orchestra pit, so the musicians were always in full few. And in the foyer? A casino was always in place in keeping with the norm for theatres at the time.

On the floor above all the palchi, is the loggia. Here, the less wealthy could pay a reduced price to enjoy the performances. This group are referred to as loggione, critical opera aficionados who readily deomonstrate their pleasure or displeasure towards the perforamnces. Even today, the loggione continue their vociferous critiques. In 2006, tenor Roberto Alagna was booed off-stage during his performance. A non-wardrobed understudy was forced to replace him mid-concert.

Prior to the days before electricity, over 1000 oil lamps illuminated all parts of the theatre. To protect against another fire, several rooms were filled with hundreds of water buckets. In time, oil lamps were replaced by gas lamps, these in turn were replaced by electric lights in 1883.

La Scala was destined to undergo more renovations. The first in 1907 and again in 1943 after it was severely damaged by the bombs of World War II.