After the applause in the foyer, another five minutes of applause for the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella on the stage of honor of the Teatro alla Scala flanked by the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen and her daughter Laura before the execution of the Mameli Hymn and the Ode to Joy. On stage with them for the Premiere of Boris Gudonov also the president of the Senate La Russa and the prime minister Giorgia Meloni. The work of Modest Musorgsky directed by Riccardo Chailly opens the 2022/2023 season. Directed by Kasper Holten.
According to Master Chailly “the Boris Godunov it is an absolute masterpiece, to be considered a World Heritage Site. It is true that for nine months we have been spectators of a painful war, but music must enjoy absolute freedom”. The performers of the main parts of the great Russian opera about the guilt and loneliness of power are Ildar Abdrazakov in the guise of the protagonist, the Tsar of all the Russias, Ain Anger like Pimen, Stanislav Trofimov like Varlaam, Dmitry Golovnin such as Grigory Otrepev e Norbert Ernst like Vasily Shuysky, while Lilly Jørstad it’s Fyodor. The Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala is directed by the Maestro Alberto Malazzi.
Segre, Mattarella and Meloni together? We are in a democracy
“We’re in a democracy, so that’s fine.” Senator for life, Liliana Segre, said this upon arriving at the Teatro alla Scala for the Premiere, when asked about the simultaneous presence on the royal stage of the presidents of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and of the Council, Giorgia Meloni. “I’m glad to be there,” she added.
Fontana: “The tribute to Mattarella is just”
It is a “strong bond” that of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, demonstrated by his “continuous presence in recent years”. The president of Lombardy Attilio Fontana underlined this by commenting on the tribute that the La Scala audience paid to the head of state, as he had done last year by asking him for an ‘encore’ at the Quirinale. “It is not surprising that there is this tribute at La Scala, indeed, it is right,” he concluded.
Conte attends the premiere with families in difficulty
“Never went to the premiere when I was premier, happy to watch it here with you,” says former premier and president of the M5S Giuseppe Conte, who attended the premiere at La Scala at the Cardinal Ferrari Opera in Milan with some families in difficult conditions economic Since 1921, the day care center has been involved in assisting destitute people, from the homeless to those who are unable to do the shopping. “I’ve never been able to go to the premiere of La Scala despite the invitations when I was prime minister, but I’m happy now to watch it here with you,” Conte commented at the beginning of the live broadcast on Rai1.
Von der Leyen: “The designer of my dress? I don’t know”
A long dress, as required by the tradition of the Prima della Scala, midnight blue, with a sequined bodice and silk skirt. It is the outfit chosen by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who this evening attends the Premiere of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. When asked by reporters who the designer of the dress was, the president burst into laughter, admitting she didn’t know. An answer far from any ostentation and fashionable poses.
Shammah, theater brings us all together
“It is useless to hide behind a finger, everyone thinks about seeing Meloni and Mattarella, because the theater brings us all together”: said the director of the Parenti theater Andree Ruth Shammah just before the start of Boris Godunov which opens the season of La Scala. “The Milanese see La Scala as a value and tonight there is an emotion that has been missing for some time and even the protests recall that of the golden years: whoever is inside today has waged civil battles, in Milan the eggs against the rich they don’t work, there are more people here who vote for Pd than anything else, we are at the center of a wonderful contradiction, the future will be the ability to make a synthesis of it “, he concluded Shammah.
Meloni: “The controversy over a Russian opera is meaningless”
Choosing to open the Teatro alla Scala season with a Russian opera “is a polemic that makes no sense”. This was said by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arriving at the Piermarini to attend the opera. “As you know, I have an extremely clear position on the subject of the invasion of Ukraine – he added – but we are not angry with the Russian people, with Russian history, with Russian culture, we have the political choice And the two floors must be kept apart otherwise we’ll make a lot of confusion”.
Applause for the President of the Republic
The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, arrived accompanied by his daughter Laura at the Teatro alla Scala to attend the premiere of Boris Gudonov. The Head of State was welcomed in the Foyer with applause. Mattarella is accompanied by his daughter Laura. Five minutes of applause from the audience for the stage with Mattarella, the president of the Senate La Russa and the president of the EU Commission Ursula Van Der Layen before the performance of the Mameli anthem by the orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly.
La Russa, a great evening and a beautiful day for Milan
“It’s a great night and a beautiful day for Milan.” Thus the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, speaking with reporters outside the Teatro alla Scala.
Von der Leyen: ‘We must not let Putin destroy Russia’
“We shouldn’t let Putin destroy this fantastic country (Russia ed) and therefore I can’t wait to see this work”. Thus the president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen arriving at the Prima della Scala. “I think Russian composers like Musorgsky or Tchaikovsky are fantastic as well as Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. We should not allow Putin to destroy this fantastic country”.
Meloni: “My first time, I’m intrigued”
“I’m intrigued. It’s my first time. A Prima is certainly a great new experience”. This was stated by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, upon arrival at the Teatro alla Scala. Meloni wears a blue velvet cape, with matching earrings and her hair pulled back in a bun, sequined pointy shoes.
The president of the EU Commission Von Der Leyen arrived at the theatre
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived at the Teatro alla Scala to attend the premiere of Boris Gudonov. Von der Leyen is dressed in a blue sequined dress, with a string of pearls and matching earrings. You were welcomed by Mayor Giuseppe Sala and Governor Attilio Fontana.
The protest of social centers and grassroots unions, dozens of onlookers in the square
“We contest Meloni and the whole caste!”. This is the slogan chosen by the social center il Cantiere which protests on “Home, income and rights, people before profit”, as stated on the banner at the head of the procession arriving from the Gallery. A smoke bomb lit in front of Palazzo Marino. “We are unstoppable, another world is possible” (We are unstoppable, another world is possible), the boys shout.
Also present were some trade unions such as Usb (Basic trade union union) and Adl Cobas in defense against the cost of living in Piazza della Scala in Milan, in front of Palazzo Marino, on the day of the Premiere with the Russian opera Boris Godunov. “Income, rights and dignity,” reads a red flag hanging from a gazebo. The gate is manned by policemen and carabinieri in riot gear. In the meantime, there are already a few dozen onlookers leaning against the barriers with their eyes turned towards Piermarini.
Minister Sangiuliano has arrived
The Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano has already arrived at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan to attend the Premiere. The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are also expected.
The superintendent of La Scala: “Me a foreigner? Sgarbi’s words pity me”
To the criticisms of the Undersecretary for Culture, Vittorio Sgarbi, according to which there should be an Italian superintendent at La Scala, Dominique Meyer replies as follows: “I am not making any comments on this, I have been in Italy for 30 years and the first time I came to La Scala was the 1980. I’ve never felt like a foreigner. And I feel at home where culture is created. For the first time I heard this harsh word, ‘foreigner’, and it made me feel sorry for it”. Meyer went on to add: “I have always been very well received here for 35 years. I am president of various juries and I have always been welcomed with open arms. It pains me to be regarded now as a bad foreigner who does not know how to do his job. I am 32 seasons that I have directed the Paris Opera, the Vienna Opera and now La Scala. I have respect for this person who I don’t know but who I don’t think knows my work”.
Pro-Ukraine protests on the streets
In anticipation of the Premiere of La Scala with the Russian opera Boris Godunov, a pro-Ukrainian protest is underway in the square in front of Palazzo Marino with a group of demonstrators asking to “replace the opera”. “This demonstration is not against culture, but against propaganda, of those who use the artists’ messages to exploit them”, says one of the demonstrators. The placards read, among other things, “Russian soloists friends of the executioner Putin NO, Russian cultural heritage YES” and “Ildar Abdrazakov is a soloist of the Russian regime”, in reference to the bass that will be the protagonist of the work.
