There has been an outbreak of coronavirus cases in the Corps de Ballet at La Scala, discovered because of the theatre’s regular testing programme.
35 dancers and three members of the Ballet Management have tested weakly positive for Covid-19. On 26 February – the day on which the company was due to record its Tribute to Nureyev gala – there was one positive case, and the performance, which was to be performed without an audience, was suspended as well as subsequent classes and rehearsals. The dancer who was positive tested negative a few days later.
Yesterday, results also showed three positive cases among the company for the Kurt Weill programme: Die sieben Todsünden and Mahagonny Songspiel, which is due to be streamed by the television channel Rai Cultura on 18 March. Two hairdressers also tested positive. Rehearsals have been suspended.
Tests on the orchestra and chorus are all negative, so the concert with Myung-Whun Chung, scheduled tomorrow at 6 pm and to be broadcast by Rai Cultura in live streaming on RaiPlay, is therefore confirmed.
Corps de ballet photo by Marco Brescia Teatro alla Scala
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.