Dove possiamo sentire l'opera?
November 30, 2004 10:32 AM Subscribe
After a three-year absence and $108 million in renovations, Europe's premier grand dame of opera houses, Milan's Teatro alla Scala, will reopen on December 7, 2004. The honor of the opening night opera has been delegated to Antonio Salieri through his obscure opera-ballet Europa Riconosciuta, which is the very same opera that inaugurated La Scala's first season in 1778, and has not been performed in 226 years.
Damn you, matteo! Damn you to hell!
Or, as a bystander once said,
posted by languagehat at 11:23 AM on November 30, 2004
Or, as a bystander once said,
Che ceffo disperato!*exit stage right, seething with jealousy*
Che gesti da dannato!
Che gridi, che lamenti!
Come mi fa terror!
posted by languagehat at 11:23 AM on November 30, 2004
ex cathedra parlo
ma tali litigi finiscano qua
even if my hair isn't gray. yet.
heh.
interestingly enough, since the building was bombed and heavily damaged by Allied forces in August 1943, it had never been rebuilt properly. because there just wasn't time -- nor money -- after the war to remove most of the rubble. the rubble had just been buried underneath the theatre. now, it has finally all been removed, and the theatre sounds way better because of that. the mighty Higini Arau is the guy behind the new acoustics. I'll report after la prima.
BWAHAHAHAHA
posted by matteo at 11:48 AM on November 30, 2004
ma tali litigi finiscano qua
even if my hair isn't gray. yet.
heh.
interestingly enough, since the building was bombed and heavily damaged by Allied forces in August 1943, it had never been rebuilt properly. because there just wasn't time -- nor money -- after the war to remove most of the rubble. the rubble had just been buried underneath the theatre. now, it has finally all been removed, and the theatre sounds way better because of that. the mighty Higini Arau is the guy behind the new acoustics. I'll report after la prima.
BWAHAHAHAHA
posted by matteo at 11:48 AM on November 30, 2004
nice post naxosaxur.
We are not like the Staatsoper in Vienna where they present a different opera every night often without adequate rehearsal. We still take care of our artistic product.
the rivalries in europe never really die.
posted by three blind mice at 11:50 AM on November 30, 2004
We are not like the Staatsoper in Vienna where they present a different opera every night often without adequate rehearsal. We still take care of our artistic product.
the rivalries in europe never really die.
posted by three blind mice at 11:50 AM on November 30, 2004
I like how its first opera will be by Salieri. Take that Mozart! 'Mediocrities everywhere... I absolve you. I absolve you. I absolve you. I absolve you. I absolve you all.'
posted by driveler at 12:07 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by driveler at 12:07 PM on November 30, 2004
the rivalries in europe never really die.
those familiar with classical music know that Muti's remark is, for the business' standards, almost a love letter. if you think MetaFilter's snarky, try that racket. I mean, compare Muti's dry remark with the Wiener refusing to work with poor Sinopoli because they insisted he had once lost his way in a score (a terrible, cowardly smear -- especially against a not-ultra-technically-proficient conductor like him. nobody in the modern era understood Mahler, Bruckner, Strauss like Sinopoli did)...
posted by matteo at 12:24 PM on November 30, 2004
those familiar with classical music know that Muti's remark is, for the business' standards, almost a love letter. if you think MetaFilter's snarky, try that racket. I mean, compare Muti's dry remark with the Wiener refusing to work with poor Sinopoli because they insisted he had once lost his way in a score (a terrible, cowardly smear -- especially against a not-ultra-technically-proficient conductor like him. nobody in the modern era understood Mahler, Bruckner, Strauss like Sinopoli did)...
posted by matteo at 12:24 PM on November 30, 2004
matteo, i seriously thought you were joking about attending the premier. Was your ticket expensive? I'm extremely excited for you! I was in Milan this past June, but the theater was completely covered in scaffolding and tarps. However, we did visit the La Scala museum across from Santa Maria della Grazie, which was fabulous. I can’t wait to hear the reviews...
posted by naxosaxur at 12:35 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by naxosaxur at 12:35 PM on November 30, 2004
nice post. (correcting italics too)
posted by jewishbuddha at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by jewishbuddha at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2004
expensive? no, 10 bucks actually. I traded 2 MeFi memberships for 2 tickets. the poor sucker didn't know that Matt had just re-opened the gates! hahahahaha.
no, seriously: naxo, if you can read Italian I'll be happy to send over reviews and stuff. Salieri sounds interesting in a.. well, more-interesting-than-memorable way. but the re-opening in itself will be memorable enough, I'm sure.
I've just re-read Verri's review of the original show and, well, did Verri ripped Salieri another one! so much for old-time manners.
posted by matteo at 1:01 PM on November 30, 2004
no, seriously: naxo, if you can read Italian I'll be happy to send over reviews and stuff. Salieri sounds interesting in a.. well, more-interesting-than-memorable way. but the re-opening in itself will be memorable enough, I'm sure.
I've just re-read Verri's review of the original show and, well, did Verri ripped Salieri another one! so much for old-time manners.
posted by matteo at 1:01 PM on November 30, 2004
io capisco un po' l'italiano :( But thanks anyway. i don't mind salieri, as i even took part of my mefi pseudonym (axur) from his opera Axur, re d'Ormus. I've never heard any of his operas live (nor anything from Muti for that matter), so enjoy!
posted by naxosaxur at 1:29 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by naxosaxur at 1:29 PM on November 30, 2004
Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Matteo! I've been clicking on that damn 'new user' link for about a year now - I might have missed the opening of the hallowed portal but for you.
Now I have to build up the courage to actually post something instead of just being able to curse MeFi when I found something.
posted by surfdad2 at 2:16 PM on November 30, 2004
Now I have to build up the courage to actually post something instead of just being able to curse MeFi when I found something.
posted by surfdad2 at 2:16 PM on November 30, 2004
new photos from inside La Scala
surfdad2, then you owe me a ticket to La Scala, too
posted by matteo at 2:39 PM on November 30, 2004
surfdad2, then you owe me a ticket to La Scala, too
posted by matteo at 2:39 PM on November 30, 2004
and naxos, next time you're around, send me an email, we'll go out per un caffè
posted by matteo at 2:51 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by matteo at 2:51 PM on November 30, 2004
Eat *THAT*, Mozart!
posted by insomnia_lj at 4:54 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by insomnia_lj at 4:54 PM on November 30, 2004
matteo, thank you for linking the pictures of the renovations. It is stunning....and mille grazie for the invitation...although, mi piace un cappuccino!
posted by naxosaxur at 6:10 PM on November 30, 2004
posted by naxosaxur at 6:10 PM on November 30, 2004
*whimper* matteo - any gossip on why La Fracci is no longer the ballet director at La Scala, moving instead to l'Opera di Roma? I know she wasn't quite happy with the rennovations and that she's no stranger to brouhahas...??? My Googling skills in Italian are horrific.
posted by romakimmy at 5:02 AM on December 1, 2004
posted by romakimmy at 5:02 AM on December 1, 2004
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posted by matteo at 10:39 AM on November 30, 2004