Le Corsaire

With fairytale-like staging and a “Pas de deux” that made Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn a legend and always awaited in the ballet galas, Le Corsaire is considered a choreographic milestone in the history of ballet. Le Corsaire debuted with enormous success at La Scala to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the legendary choreographer Marius

Petipa. The choreographic version by Anna-Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Konstantin Sergeyev made it „great fun! Spinatelli has given the dancers ravishing costumes and the orchestra plays some of ballet’s biggest hits. La Scala’s ballet company in top form.” (Gramilano) “A majestic staging and an excellent Dance Corps.” (L´ape Musicale) “Impeccable” (Informadanza)

The Sleeping Beauty

Indeed, it was to La Scala in 1966 that Nureyev entrusted the debut of “his” Sleeping Beauty, and now, twelve years after its last performance, his masterpiece returns to the stage with the magnificent sets created by Oscar winner Franca Squarciapino at La Scala in 1993, and Felix Korobov conducting the extraordinary score by Tchaikovsky. “Timofej Andrijashenko had a great debut with the Désiré of Nureyev. Polina Semionova was an amazing Aurora” (Strata Gemmi) “A great production, a success thanks to a superlative and thrilling ballet company.” (LUUK)

Romeo and Juliet

This classic choreography of Romeo and Juliet by Kenneth MacMillan, set to the immortal notes of Prokofiev, is legendary in La Scala´s repertoire. In this ballet the choreographer MacMillan deals with the matter paying great attention to human relations, lyricism and psychological tension, without neglecting moments of humour, through the dynamics and the emotions of ballet d’action. Set and costumes are designed especially for La Scala by Mauro Carosi and Odette Nicoletti. The stars of this masterly performance are Roberto Bolle and Misty Copeland, together for the first time in this ballet. Iconic ballerina Misty Copeland makes history as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. In addition to her dance career, Copeland has become a public speaker, celebrity spokesperson and stage performer. She has written two autobiographical books and narrated a documentary about her career challenges, A Ballerina’s Tale. In 2015, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine, appearing on its cover. It’s the first performing Ballet DVD featuring Misty Copeland!

Lucio Silla

This dramatic opera is associated with one of Mozart’s sojourns in Milan. The Austrian genius was sixteen when he composed this jewel of bel canto dedicated to the general and dictator of Ancient Rome: Lucio Silla made its debut on 26 December 1772, when Mozart was almost seventeen. It was the third opera that he had staged in the Regio Ducal Theatre, Milano. The staging by Marshall Pynkoski, specialized in eighteenth-century operas with particular insights into Baroque dance, drama and gestures, pays „attention to detail, making use of scenes and eighteenth-century impeccably decorated costumes designed by a specialist of the genre in film, Antoine Fontaine“ (delteatro.it). „The female cast is remarkable“ (La Repubblica).

Le nozze di Figaro

For the 225th anniversary of Mozart’s death, La Scala Theatre presents a new production of Le nozze di Figaro that had been entrusted to the extraordinary director Frederic Wake-Walker (author of a production of La finta giardiniera which was the revelation of the Glyndebourne Festival in 2014). He focusses the action of the piece on the instability of love: “Le nozze di Figaro presents us with an impossibility – a world where everyone is loving and forgiving.” The approach to his direction is “elaborate and very innovative” and “also musically, the new production of Figaro is worth a tour to Milan.” (NZZ) “the cast is magnificient.” (Kurier) “… when Diana Damrau enters as the Countess, we get a performance of special gravitas. Even the orchestra, under Franz Welser-Möst’s baton, melts to such grace.” (Financial Times)

I due Foscari

In his ‘new life’ as a baritone, Plácido Domingo has triumphed in the role of Francesco Foscari in Los Angeles, London and Vienna. Now he takes to the role to La Scala, Milan, the theatre that is the symbol of Italian opera. I due Foscari, premiered in 1844, famously one of Verdi’s darkest operas, is staged by Alvis Hermanis, who made such an impact at the Salzburg Festival with “Die Soldaten” and “Il trovatore”. Domingo is joined by two of Italy’s most exciting singers, the soprano Anna Pirozzi and the tenor Francesco Meli, and the acclaimed Italian conductor Michele Mariotti. The Financial Times was deeply moved by Domingo’s performance, calling his interpretation of the role “sublime”.

BONUS Ioan Holender interviews Plácido Domingo on the occasion of I Due Foscari at La Scala in Milan

Don Quixote

In this production from Teatro alla Scala, the ballet Don Quixote is shown in the legendary choreography of Rudolf Nureyev. Nureyev’s intention by fusing together the worlds of commedia dell’arte and classical ballet to create a visual feast for ist audience, has made Don Quixote one of the most-loved ballets world-wide. With ist sparkling energy and the bright colours of the staging by Raffaele Del Savio and Anna Anni, Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote transports audiences with freshness, joy and choreographic splendour to a enchanting Spain, with gypsy dances, fandangos, matadors, windmills and the airy candour of the Garden of the Dryads.

Don Carlo

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Don Carlos” was based on Schiller’s drama and exists in several versions. Commissioned by the Paris Opéra, it was given its world premiere there in 1867. The work comprised five acts and a large ballet – in conformity with the conventions of the French grand opera at that time. Five years later, Verdi created a heavily cut Italian version which is still the version generally performed today, as in this recording from Milan’s La Scala. For many years, “Don Carlos” was generally given in four acts; the first act was often completely cut and other scenes were left out. A return to the complete, five-act French-language version was ushered in during the second half of the 20th century. The aristocrat of conductors, the autocrat of the baton, Riccardo Muti cuts a noble figure at the head of any orchestra, and ennobles every ensemble through his charismatic personality and red-blooded musicality. In many respects, including his unwillingness to compromise over artistic matters, he is reminiscent of Arturo Toscanini, who was also a demanding ruler at the podium. His rise to international fame set in with his guest conductorships at the Salzburg Festival in 1971 and at the head of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1972. Muti became principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra a few years later, and was named its music director in 1980. Always a conductor of both the symphonic and operatic repertoire, Muti advanced to the post of music director of La Scala in Milan in 1986. The 1990s saw Muti consolidating his reputation at the head of this venerable institution, as well as in countless other high-caliber venues around the world. Today he is one of the undisputed giants among the leading conductors of the world.

Anna – Stage of Emotions

Anna – Stage of Emotions, is part documentary, part abstract and visually stunning response to some of the powerful themes that run through this music, from love and hope to death and despair. It captures Anna Netrebko’s portrayals of five operatic heroines – Aida, Lisa, Dido, Cio-Cio San and Isolde – all of whom are brought individually to life thanks to the director’s – renowned filmmaker Elena Petitti di Roreto – unique visual language and style. Interwoven with the five music videos is an insightful interview with Anna Netrebko, who discusses both the roles and her own life. Shot largely in the majestic setting of La Scala’s famous auditorium, the film forges connections with the opera house’s venerable history (it staged the world premiere of Madama Butterfly) and its continuing artistic excellence today under Maestro Chailly’s direction.