Inside La Scala: Temple of music or temple of doom?

From: Opera News | Date: July 1, 1999| Author: | Copyright information

There was a time when La Scala figured crucially in the careers of most major opera singers. Now, however, it is regarded by many as a mismanaged circus. Albert Innaurato recently went to Milan to get the real story.

Riccardo Muti saved me from the Gypsies. We were in Milan, on an unusual ly warm day for February, walking to lunch on my first day at La Scala.

"Where is your overcoat?" he asked. "Walk along in just a sweater, and suddenly little people will surround you. Gypsies. They will cover you with a rolled-up newspaper." He shapes both hands around an imaginary paper and conducts them ...

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