Teatro alla Scala, located in Milan, Italy, stands as one of the world’s most renowned opera houses. It is situated directly behind the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, connecting to Piazza della Scala, where a statue of Leonardo da Vinci stands prominently in the center. This somewhat legendary theater is considered an embodiment of beauty.
In terms of architectural history, the Scala Theater is the second theater rebuilt on the original site, with the first theater, Teatro Ducale, having been destroyed in a fire. Two years later, Teatro alla Scala was constructed on the site of the Church of Santa Maria della Scala and was inaugurated. During World War II, the theater suffered bombings, leaving the entire performance hall in ruins. Post-war, the Italian government allocated substantial funds to rebuild it to high standards, making it one of the world’s most beautiful theaters.
The exterior of Teatro alla Scala is unassuming, but it is hard to imagine the opulence within. The theater’s decor is extremely luxurious, famous for its six-tiered gilded arches adorned with chandeliers and private boxes separated by red silk. Attending a performance here is an unforgettable experience. Known as a paradise for opera, the theater hosts operas, concerts, and plays almost all year round, with the exception of August. Well-known operas such as ‘Turandot’ and ‘Madama Butterfly’ have had their premieres here. For ticket purchases, it is advisable to book opera tickets as early as possible. Traditional ticket purchasing can be done at Galleria del Sagrato, Piazza del Duomo, and the Duomo metro station (Duomo). The metro station has clear signs for guidance. Ticket office hours are from 12:00 to 18:00. If you wish to purchase tickets on a whim, you can do so at the night ticket office located next to the main entrance of the theater at 2 Via Filodrammatici, but this window only sells tickets for the day’s performances and can be accessed up to two and a half hours before the show starts. It is particularly important to note that tickets for concerts by the Filarmonica Orchestra can only be purchased at the night ticket office one hour before the start.
Of course, there are various ways to purchase tickets, including at ticket windows, but more conveniently through online booking, telephone booking, and through intermediaries. Prices vary depending on the performance and seating, ranging generally from 5 euros to 200 euros. The venue has detailed cast lists for the evening’s performance posted in several places, along with detailed schedules indicating the time required for each act and the intermission times. If attending a premiere, men are required to dress in all black formal attire, and for other times, suits with ties are mandatory, and women are also expected to dress appropriately.
Scala Museum: If you do not plan to attend a performance, visiting the interior of the theater is not so easy.
However, you can visit the La Scala Museum. The entrance of the museum is not on this side of the square but in Largo Ghiringhelli. The La Scala Museum inside the theater houses numerous precious musical instruments, costumes, and a large number of precious materials, portraits, and statues related to opera and Italian musicians. On the floor of the museum, exhibits related to opera programs are arranged chronologically, including early advertising posters of Verdi’s operas and arm models. Backstage tour of the opera house Tourists interested in the backstage tour of the opera house can make an appointment. A professional guide will take you to visit various exhibition halls of the La Scala Museum and tell you anecdotes and interesting stories about musicians who have performed here, such as Giuseppe Verdi and Arturo Toscanini. You can also stand in the box and admire the majestic atmosphere of the opera hall, the large crystal chandelier on the roof, and the great stages in opera history. Email for appointment: garino@fondazionelascala.it. Theater library In addition, the opera house also has a theater library, which houses 80,000 volumes of drama art classics in different languages. However, it can only be visited with an appointment in advance. Reservation phone number: 02-88792088. Email: sartorio@fondazionelascala.it. The theater has a store where you can buy some CDs, DVDs, and books related to music. Opening hours Different shows have different performance times. Specific times are subject to the official website announcement: https://www.teatroallascala.org/it/index.html. Preferential policy supplementary note: 1. Children aged 4 to 11 can purchase child tickets. Child tickets cannot be purchased alone and must be purchased together with adult tickets. If there are children accompanying, please purchase family tickets. Service facilities Toilet: Barrier-free services: Barrier-free parking lot, barrier-free entrance, barrier-free elevator, barrier-free seats, barrier-free toilet. Must-see tips 1. It should be particularly noted that only children over 6 years old are allowed to enter and watch performances. 2. According to regulations, photography is prohibited inside the venue. If discovered by the waiter, you will be stopped. 3. Both the theater and the museum have free storage areas. Hard items such as umbrellas, backpacks, and cameras must be stored.
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