Conductor: Daniele Gatti Concert Master: Bruno Casoni Staging and Sets: Stéphane Braunschweig Costumes: Thibault van Craenenbroeck Lights: Marion Hewlett Philip II: Ferruccio Furlanetto Don Carlo: Stuart Neill Rodrigo: Thomas Johannes Mayer The Grand Inquisitor: Matti Salminen Elisabeth de Valois: Fiorenza Cedolins Princess Eboli Dolora Zajick: Anna Smirnova
La Scala offers 140 standing tickets before each show for just €5. I was late for 5 minutes because I needed to pick up my prepaid ticket (€37 + €7 reservation fee) which wasn't even there. Had to wait standing on the 2nd gallery floor until the first scene change, ~20 mins, while someone was happily sitting in my seat. Quite full, most guests dressed up nicely. The girls who work as docent here are as beautiful as fashion models.Being one of the most renowned theatres, La Scala's building is a bit disappointing. Reconstructed (1946) after the WWII bombing, it seemed hastily built without too much fund. Decor is true to its old self, but lack in detail and refinement. Red, velvety. 2000+ seats: 4 floors of boxes, 2 floors of gallery each with 2 rows and standing room. Thanks to the 2001 renovation, an electronic libretto system was install. The little screen in front of every seat can be tilted to match the eye level and offers text in two languages. A prominent yet non-intrusive display on the top of the stage shows time with hours in Roman numeral and minutes in 5-min increment.
