Scala Theatre in Milan

Theatre alla Scala is one of the most well-known theatres in the world. Even for those that are not opera or ballet lovers, it will offer a spectacle that is not easy to forget. There is even a theatre museum (Museo Teatrale alla Scala) which offers a collection of costumes, set design sketches, portraits and much more.

Teatro alla Scala is one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world. All tourists at least pass in front of it, because it is a 3 minute walking distance from Duomo. The theatre can easily be noticed after exiting the beautiful Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, which connects Duomo Square with the Scala Square. Aside from the theatre there is Theater Museum alla Scala (Museo Teatrale alla Scala). This museum offers vast collection of costumes, set design sketches, composers’ letters, portraits and antic musical instruments.

Milan had another theater housein this place, called Teatro Regio Ducale which was destroyed in a fire in February 1776. Teatro alla Scala was build on the grounds of the church Santa Maria alla Scala, after the church was demolished, and this is why the theatre bears the name alla Scala.
The new theatre was opened in 1778 with Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta (Europe Revealed). In Italy, the theatre was called New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala.

Ticket prices for the Scala Theatre in Milan
Teatro alla Sclala
It is possible to buy a ticket for an opera or a ballet online on the official website of the Scala Theatre in Milan. There is also a ticket office that is located within the Duomo Metro station. On the day of the performance, another ticket office that is on the left side of the Scala Theatre building, facing the theatre, will be opened an hour before the start of the spectacle. All the tickets that are left are being sold here. Since there are usually many people interested in buying those left ones, if you are determined not to miss the show it is necessary to be there a little bit more than one hour before the start.
Ticket prices for the Scala Theatre spectacles vary substantially (ticket prices for a ballet are always lower than for opera). The cheapest ticket you will find would be 34.80 Euros (€). The seats for this type of tickets are located on the second gallery of the Theatre and are usually sold out immediately.
(!) Ticket office at the Duomo metro station is not that hard to find, it is located on one of the lateral corridors of the station. Employees speak: English, German, French - enough to get the necessary information.
(!) Even if there are no tickets left on the website, and you cannot find one in the ticket office, and they say they are sold out, there will always be tickets in the ticket office on the left side of the theatre building half an hour before the start of the event, starting from some €38.80 for the worst seats, going up to some €300 for the seats in the first rows.

Theater Museum alla Scala
Regular ticket price is: 6 Euros (€).
Ticket for groups is: 4 Euros (€).

Working hours of the Scala Theatre
Theater Museum alla Scala
From Monday to Sunday working hours are: 9:00-12:30h/13:30-17:30h (last entrances at noon and 17:00h).
Museum is closed: January1^st, Easter Sunday, May 1^st, August15^th, December 7^th/25^th/26^th, December 24^th/31^st(closed in the afternoons).
(!) The scene of the theatre can be visited only if there are no undergoing rehearsals.


Interesting facts

• Originally the main floor (ground level) of the theater had no seats, thus spectators watched the spectacle standing.
• Above the boxes, there is a level called loggione where less wealthy can enjoy the show. This area is usually the field with the most critical opera fans. Thus, in 2006, tenor Roberto Alagna was booed during the performance of the opera Aida. He left the stage in protest, while the substitute Antello Palombi had to enter the stage without having the time to put on the costume.
• Originally, the scene was illuminated by 84 oil lamps and the rest of the theater with another thousand. In order to reduce the risk of fire, several rooms were filled with water buckets.
• During the Second World War the theater was severely damaged by bombing; it was rebuilt and opened on May 11^th 1946.
• The season traditionally starts on 7^th of December, the day of Sent Ambrogio, the patron of Milan.
• Theater alla Scala has three scenes set one above the other. This means that at the same time three different scenes for three different acts of opera or ballet can be set at the same time. When the first act finishes the first scene raises and the second one gets down to the main podium. The same thing happens when the second act finishes and the third scene gets down.