Italy’s president and PM will shun La Scala opening

Italy’s president and PM will shun La Scala opening

News

norman lebrecht

November 28, 2023

In a major breach with protocol and tradition, Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella has let it be known he will not attend the gala opening of the La Scala season on December 7. The opera is Verdi’s Don Carlo,

Also absent will be prime minister Meloni.

No reason has been given but Italian mmedia suggest it is connected with the star role given to the Putin-supporting soprano Anna Netrebko.

Comments

  • Edoardo says:

    I have no idea where you picked up this idea of authorities shunning la scala becouse of netrebko. Sorry to disappoint you but nobody cares about netrebko in Italy….i am pretty sure our PM ignores the existence of netrebko…

  • zayin says:

    Meloni is pro Russia.

  • ls says:

    It seems crazy that La Scala is reverting to the four-act version for its opening night in the year of our lord 2023. I wonder if that’s because Netrebko might not want to learn it.

  • G says:

    Putin-supporting? Not what she has said.

  • PosaMan says:

    It’s a shame!
    Meyer and Chailly should immediately resign.

  • IP says:

    An evening much better spent elsewhere

  • Tom Phillips says:

    Wow, she’s too fascist even for Italy!

  • Sidilbradipo says:

    I doubt our PM (let alone our Minister for Infrastructure, who is going to attend… Just hope he will not snore too loudly) knows who Anna Netrebko is.

  • Potpourri says:

    Italy welcomed back Anna Netrebko with sold out performances in Macbeth at La Scala and in La Traviata at the Verona Arena.in 2023. Her performances in Don Carlo are also sold out. La Gioconda at Naples is expected to sell out soon, Italy loves opera and Anna Netrebko will survive the lies about her. She has condemned the war in Ukraine and was cancelled by theaters in Russia.

    • Tom Phillips says:

      Not surprising as historically Italy seems to have a strong “fascist gene” as evidenced again by the success of Meloni, Berlusconi, Mussolini etc.

    • Micaela Bonetti says:

      100% true.
      Grazie di scrivere ciò che è verità.

    • Dennis says:

      Netrebko only condemned because her career was on the line! I believe it’s as simple as Meloni doesn’t appreciate the opera. The Putin aspect doesn’t bother her but unless you’re bringing back Stella, Corelli and Bastianini as the leads I’m not interested either!

  • LGGVW says:

    Meloni is utterly insufferable, tacky bimbo type, who probably only ever managed to cope with opera highlights and operatic style gigs like Il Divo. She would never survive nor make it to the end of Don Carlo, in one piece.

  • Dixie says:

    Thinking back to Meloni’s attendance on 7 December 2022 during the performance of Boris Godunov, it was clear that she was BORED beyond belief. Maybe someone should tell her that Don Carlo is not short, but will at least be sung in Italien. The reason for which President Mattarella surely has nothing to do with Italian opera itself. Let us wait and see if he is really not going to attend.

  • Matthew B. Tepper says:

    In my arrogant opinion, “Don Carlo” should be sung in French, the whole five acts, WITH the ballet!

  • Fer says:

    Italian theaters don’t pay promptly if they pay at all. So Nerebko might not collect her Italian fees for quite some time. On the other hand Meyer should pack his things and go home. These people, claim to be not get involved in politics, when they’re all about politics!

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