La Scala presents its season debuts Myung-Whun Chung
On the programme are 13 opera titles, seven ballets and seven concerts. Verdi's 'Otello' for the Sant'Ambrogio premiere
by Gi.M.
La Scala's next season will feature "titles from the great repertoire", as the superintendent and artistic director, Fortunato Ortombina, said when presenting the 2026-2027 programme, with 13 opera titles, 7 ballet titles and 7 concerts, which will open on 7 December with Giuseppe Verdi's Otello, conducted by maestro Myung-Whun Chung, La Scala's new music director from 1 January 2027, replacing Riccardo Chailly.
Verdi's 'Otello' for 7 December
"Otello is a title that evokes great challenges in the past and is somewhat of a sign for this season, which is characterised by a good balance between great maestros now at La Scala and young up-and-comers," added Ortombina, recalling that of the 13 opera titles, three will be those never before performed in Milan, four will be conductor debuts and as many director debuts, plus many new voices.
Artistic challenges and daily challenges, to maintain the quality and international prestige of Italy's greatest opera house: 'The greatest challenge is the work of every day, and from the work of every day emerge the results that make everyone grow around an idea, around music, now also with a new music director.
New Music Director
With this new appointment, Maestro Myung-Whun Chung strengthens his long relationship with the orchestra, the choir and also the audience at La Scala, where he has also been Conductor Emeritus of the Philharmonic since 2023.
Among the challenges for this and the coming seasons, as anticipated yesterday by Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview with the superintendent, is to make La Scala increasingly accessible and inclusive, also in terms of prices.
