December already 'sold out' at La Scala Meyer: I leave a more modern theatre

To find a free seat, one has to scroll down to the date of 2 January, the last of eight performances, and even there, the choice is small. "Giuseppe Verdi's 'La Forza del destino', which will open the new opera season at Milan's Teatro alla Scala on 7 December (which will also be attended by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella), is in fact almost completely sold out. And the situation is no different for concerts and Rudolf Nureyev's 'The Nutcracker', which will kick off the Ballet season on 18 December.

This is why the theatre's superintendent, Dominique Meyer, says he is confident that, at the end of the year, ticket sales will reach the same level as last year, 33.8 million euros, an important figure that speaks of a healthy theatre loved by its community, the Milanese and Lombards above all, but also Italians and many foreigners (around a third of the total audience), as well as young people under 35, who now account for a third of the audience (they were 23% in 2019). This year, the number of spectators could reach 400,000, with a record-breaking 90% occupancy rate.

"I am leaving a theatre with accounts in order, more modern and younger," said the superintendent yesterday morning, presenting his last opening night with this post, which from next March will pass to Fortunato Ortombina, currently at the helm of La Fenice in Venice. Directed by Riccardo Chailly, La Forza del Destino is by Leo Muscato, with sets by Federica Parolini, costumes by Silvia Aymonino and lighting by Alessandro Verazzi, and will see on stage singers of the calibre of Anna Netrebko, Brian Jagde and Ludovic Tézier.

"In 2024 the average takings per evening have grown even more," Meyer explained to Il Sole 24 Ore, "we are at around 240 thousand euro, compared to 236 thousand last year, while in the last year before Covid, 2019, we were at 194 thousand. Yet ticket prices have not increased in recent years: 'We have simply reduced the number of free tickets and tickets sold out at the last minute,' he adds. And the public has responded positively. Another important aspect - which is already affecting the new 2025 season - is the continuous upward trend in season tickets: "We have returned to the levels of 2014, the year after which a progressive decline had begun, leading to a 40% loss of subscribers in 2019, thanks to more agile formulas, designed for the new generations of spectators, but also thanks to the return of traditional packages, which are still more than 10,000. And the campaign is not yet closed," says the superintendent.

Also present at the press conference were all the sponsors who have supported the inaugural evening for years, including Rolex, Bmw Italia and Allianz. And then Edison, which also supports the "Prima Diffusa", an initiative of the Municipality that this year will see over 60 events in 37 locations from 1 to 11 December, with the expected participation of 10,000 people. And the RAI which, as per tradition, will film and broadcast the images live on Rai1 and Radio3.