Teatro alla Scala (Via Filodrammatici 2, Milan, the opera house that has occupied the site of the demolished church of Santa Maria della Scala since its inauguration on August 3, 1778, with the premiere of Salieri's "L'Europa riconosciuta", a deliberately forgettable work, as it turned out, in the presence of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Maria Beatrice d'Este) is the most culturally significant opera house in the world: the specific La Scala cultural weight derives not from the architectural quality of the building (the Piermarini neoclassical exterior is restrained rather than spectacular, and the Scala isn't the most beautiful opera house in Italy, that title belongs to the Teatro San Carlo in Naples or the Teatro Massimo in Palermo) but from the specific repertoire history, the specific conductors and singers who have defined the Scala tradition, and the specific Italian (and international) opera public that has made the La Scala audience the most demanding and the most influential in the world's opera community.
The specific La Scala milestones: the world premiere of Verdi's Otello (1887, the first performance of the opera that Verdi and Boito had spent four years writing in secret, the most anticipated opera premiere since Don Giovanni in 1787). The premiere of Puccini's Turandot (1926, the opera that Puccini left unfinished at his death, completed by Alfano and premiered at La Scala with Toscanini conducting, stopping the performance at the point where Puccini's original manuscript ended with the words "Here the master died"). And the specific Toscanini era (1898-1903 and 1907-1908, the periods when Arturo Toscanini transformed La Scala from a commercial opera house into an artistic institution by imposing the specific standards, no encores, no latecomers admitted after the overture, lights down during the performance, that the modern opera house observes).
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La Scala: Getting Tickets and the Museum
How to Get La Scala Tickets
La Scala ticket booking (teatroallascala.org, the official booking site): the season subscription system (the Scala season runs from December 7, the Sant'Ambrogio gala opening, the most glamorous night of the Milanese social calendar, through July, with approximately 50-60 productions per season) reserves the majority of seats for subscription holders, making individual night ticket availability limited and variable. The specific strategies for the non-subscriber: the online booking (individual tickets available for each performance at the standard price. €15-250 depending on the category and the production, sold online from the date of general sale which varies by production). The 40-minute waiting list (the Scala offers limited discounted tickets, approximately €15-25, at the box office on the performance day from 12:00, limited to one ticket per person, requiring physical presence in the box office queue which forms from 10:00 or earlier for popular productions). And the dress rehearsal tickets (the prove generali, the final dress rehearsals before the premiere, accessible at reduced prices through the Scala's educational program, the most cost-effective way to attend a full production in the theater).
La Scala Milan Opera: tours & tickets
Compare guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips for La Scala Milan Opera.
See availability & prices →Compare tours on Viator →We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.The Museo Teatrale alla Scala
The Museo Teatrale alla Scala (the opera museum in the Scala building, entrance from the Piazzetta Verdi side. Open daily 9:00-17:30 except during matinée performances. Admission approximately €9, includes access to the museum and, from the museum gallery, the view of the auditorium from the upper boxes): the museum (the collection of historical costumes, portraits, instruments, and opera memorabilia covering the Scala's 248-year history, the Verdi manuscripts, the Toscanini collection, the portrait gallery of Pasta, Malibran, Callas, and the Milanese opera tradition) is accessible without an opera ticket and provides both the La Scala history and the specific view of the auditorium interior (the gilded horseshoe theater visible from the museum gallery, the only way to see the La Scala interior without attending a performance).
Q&A: La Scala Milan
Is La Scala worth visiting just for the museum if I can't get opera tickets?
Yes, the Museo Teatrale alla Scala is the most complete Italian opera history museum in existence, and the auditorium view from the museum gallery (the specific moment of seeing the 2,030-seat horseshoe theater, the 6 tiers of gilded boxes, the chandelier, the stage, from the upper gallery level) is the La Scala experience without the opera ticket. The museum visit (1.5-2 hours) is the recommended La Scala visit for the visitor whose schedule or budget doesn't accommodate the opera ticket.
