Breaking: La Scala abandons season opening

The traditional live-TV opening of La Scala on December 7 has been called off, at least as far as the public is cncerned.

The board has declared a public event unsafe, amid rising Covid numbers, and has told sovrintendente Dominique Meyer to come up with a Plan B.

This might be an opera in an empty house, but that would rather defeat the purpose.

Lisette Oropesa: ‘This was the last loss of the year for me. I was set to open the new season at La Scala as Lucia di Lammermoor on the 7th of December, in a new, socially distanced production. I would have had the honor of being the first American soprano to open La Scala in a title role since Maria Callas opened as Norma in 1955. And this would have been the first time Lucia has opened the 7th December since 1967, starring the brilliant Renata Scotto, who also was one of my most important teachers of this role.’