Teatro alla Scala Review

Read our Milan, Lombardy and the Lakes sights reviews. Or post your own.

Teatro alla Scala

Fodor's Review:

You need know nothing of opera to sense that, like Carnegie Hall, La Scala is closer to a cathedral than an auditorium. Here Verdi established his reputation and Maria Callas sang her way into opera lore. It looms as a symbol—both for the performer who dreams of singing here and for the opera buff who knows every note of Rigoletto by heart. Audiences are notoriously demanding and are apt to jeer performers who do not measure up. The opera house was closed after destruction by Allied bombs in 1943, and reopened at a performance led by Arturo Toscanini in 1946.

If you are lucky enough to be here during the opera season, which runs for approximately six months, do whatever is necessary to attend. Tickets go on sale two months before the first performance and are usually sold out the same day. Hearing opera sung in the magical acoustic of La Scala is an unparalleled experience.

At Museo Teatrale alla Scala you can admire librettos, posters, costumes, instruments, design sketches for the theater, curtains, and viewing-box decorations, along with an explanation of the reconstruction project and several interactive exhibits. Exhibition themes reflect current productions. A highlight is the collection of antique gramophones and phonographs. Piazza della Scala. 02/43353521. EUR 5. Daily 9-noon and 1:30-5:30 (last entry at 5).

  • Metro: Duomo
Find more sights in Milan, Lombardy and the Lakes »

Member Reviews and Ratings

Be the first to review this property

Get Advice From Other Travelers

Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip



Get the Fodor's Newsletter

For more travel ideas, tips, and deals, sign up for the Fodor's newsletter here. Read the current issue. Browse previous issues.




Copyright © 2009 Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc.