Strike action hits opening night of Manon at La Scala

The first night of Kenneth MacMillan's Manon at La Scala tomorrow night will be affected by strike action.

The CGIL union has announced the strike, but the theatre has said that the performance will go ahead with reduced scenery and lighting… a bit of a bummer if you've forked out €150 for your seat.

The opening night cast has Svetlana Zakharova as Manon, Roberto Bolle is Des Grieux, Alessandro Grillo is Monsieur G.M. and Antonino Sutera plays Lescaut. The dancers have confirmed that they will perform tomorrow evening.

La Scala was determined to keep the production on stage rather than disappoint the audience by cancelling the performance.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.