Striking musicians cancel Netrebko and Kaufmann’s Puccini anniversary concert at La Scala
The concert to mark the centenary of Puccini‘s death at La Scala was cancelled at the last minute.
The concert, long sold out, with the orchestra and chorus of La Scala, Riccardo Chailly conducting and the singers Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Mariangela Sicilia was to be recorded for television, exactly 100 years after the composer died in Brussels, on 29 November 1924.
La Scala is known for starting punctually, leaving late spectators in the foyer until an interval, yet 8pm passed and the musicians and chorus still hadn’t entered the stage.
Yesterday there was a General Strike in Italy affecting transport, schools and so on, but many activities went on even so. Five minutes after the due start time, the theatre’s director, Dominique Meyer, came out on stage explaining that La Scala didn’t know who in the orchestra was striking and only five minutes before the start it had become clear that the concert could not go ahead.
“If you allow me a few minutes,” said Meyer, “La Scala will offer you a glass of Bellavista and will arrange another concert.”
While sparkling wine was drunk in the foyer, orchestral music stands were removed and a piano was wheeled on stage.
James Vaughan – a répétiteur at the opera house – entered and Netrebko, Kauffmann and Sicilia improvised a concert. They sang pieces from Edgard, Le Villi, Bohème, Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, La Rondine, Fanciulla del West, Gianni Schicchi, Turandot and, finally, “e Lucean le stelle” sung by Kauffmann. There was a standing ovation at the end of the evening.
Meyer said, “We respect the right to strike, but we thought of putting on a concert anyway out of respect for the audience, especially for those who have come from afar… and also for Puccini.”
All ticket holders will be reimbursed.
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.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
