Classical Music in Milan
 

My husband & I would like to attend a classical music concert during our stay in Milan - September 24th - 28th (4 nights). Sadly, there is no concert being performed at La Scala during our dates. It's a small window of time, I know. However, there is an interesting program of Shostakovich at the Auditorium de Milano Fondazione on Sunday afternoon.

I've done a web search for concerts in theatres. Now, I am wondering if there are performances in churches. Any suggestions of venues or websites would be appreciated.

Thank you!

You can try HelloMilano website and CiaoMilano website, but you might not find listings much more than 2 weeks in advance.

It looks like there's an opera on at La Scalla two of the nights you'll be there. Does that count? A quick look at what google turned up with "classical music milan" seems to indicate that perhaps right now is too early to see schedules for that far ahead.

It looks like there's an opera on at La Scalla two of the nights you'll be there. Does that count? A quick look at what google turned up with "classical music milan" seems to indicate that perhaps right now is too early to see schedules for that far ahead.

How'd that happen???

sandralist: Thank you for 2 useful websites for what's happening in Milan. I will be checking closer to September for upcoming concerts.

Holly_uncasdewar: Thanks for your replies! :-) We are not opera buffs so we were a bit disappointed there wouldn't be a classical concert at La Scala. I really wanted to experience music in this beautiful theatre.

In my search, I have found some concert halls that have published their programs for the 2016 season. But many have not. So, it is probably too early to find events in other venues as you suggested.

Patience ...

There's the MiTo Settembre Musica festival which takes place in Milano and Torino each year in September. Last year's dates were September 5-23 in Torino and something like 8-27 for Milano, I think. So this could be a possiblity, offerings in Torino for 2015 were of a very high standard.
I don't see the dates for 2016 just yet but follow their website or facebook page:
http://www.mitosettembremusica.it/en/home-en.html

Teatro della Scala is, first of all, an opera house so that's what the main focus of their programme is on. Only occasionally they have concerts. But it is too early to expect the programme for the next season to be published already. Check again in may or June, and even that may be too early.

Their website appears to be a bit messed up, though.

Keren: It's exciting to learn that there is a September music festival in Milan! I see that events will be held in a variety of venues. The program will be published in June. Let's hope the festival dates will coincide with our time in Milan! Thanks for the info!

quokka: When I first went on La Scala's website, I saw there were a few concerts sprinkled between opera performances ... just not on our dates. I will definitely check back though as you suggest.

Operas (and ballet for that matter) require stage rigging, and opera houses are, therefore, not necessarily the best venues for just listening to an orchestra. A recital hall, or symphony hall, with a permanent concert shell (as opposed to a temporary shell), will offer the best orchestral music experience.

La Scala in Milan and its resident orchestra have a long and distinguished history of concert performance, inside the theater and beyond. So it's not unreasonable for anyone to want to listen to music there without attending an opera, although obviously it might not be possible every week of the year.

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/la-sc...a-mn0002207322

http://www.filarmonica.it

(I take it that Arturo Toscanini and his audiences didn't complain too much about the set up or the acoustics when he conducted concerts at La Scala year after year, which included symphonies by Hadyn, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky...

Here is a recording of the concert Toscanini conducted at the reopening of La Scala following WW2, when it had been badly bombed and was finally restored

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXWNiGSTcdQ

twk: You may indeed be correct about the superior acoustics in a concert hall with a permanent shell in place. But with my old ears, I'm afraid the fine differences between that and the sound in La Scala would be lost on me. The fact that I would be sitting in a fine, historic theatre listening to beautiful music would enhance my own personal musical experience. It is just something I was hoping to do.

Sandralist: Appreciate your comments & the links you provided. Looks like the Filarmonica hosts concerts of visiting orchestras at different venues. If only I can figure out where these take place! I will take a closer look again.

Only reason I pointed that out was that, where a dedicated recital hall is available in a city, opera theaters tend not to see as many symphonic concerts. I don't know if that is the situation in Milan--just an observation.