You don’t have to be a die-hard opera lover or even a theater lover visiting La Scala. This is probably the most critical opera house in the world and one of the most famous halls. The place is an aspiration for many singers, actors, dancers, musicians, and conductors, who dream of stepping on the stage. So even if Pavarotti isn’t your favorite singer, and you don’t hum The Marriage of Figueroa in your sleep, you can still find a lot of interest in La Scala.
You can buy a ticket for one of the performances, but we recommend ordering in advance. If you don’t have the patience or budget to watch the opera, you should at least take a tour of the building during the day, when there are no performances. The beauty of the building and the documentation of the history that took place are good enough reasons to come.
The opera house was founded in 1778 and was designed by the renowned Italian architect Giuseppe Piermarini. The impressive building burned down once and was rebuilt and then destroyed again in World War II when it was damaged by bombing. It was renovated and reopened.
The building is huge and elegant and contains exhibits about La Scala’s past. You can find costumes, decor pieces and sculptures there. The feeling of being inside a temple is clear from the first moment. Inside the building is also the theater museum.
The highlight of the visit is the main concert hall. It contains 2,000 seats divided between the gallery itself and upper stands that reach a great height. The hall’s design is magnificent, befitting a place where Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Arturo Toscanini, Maria Callas, and many other classical music legends performed.
If you want to see a show but don’t have a ticket, it is recommended to ask at the box office in the morning, sometimes discounted tickets are sold for performances on the same day.
