In Saturday’s (5/25) Telegraph (London), Tom Kington writes, “As it prepares to celebrate Verdi’s 200th birthday, La Scala opera house in Milan has announced it is being forced to reduce the number of operas it will produce next season thanks to the economic crisis and cuts to its public funding. The theatre will kick off its 2013-14 season in December with a production of La Traviata to honour Italy’s greatest composer, Giuseppe Verdi, but will produce only 10 operas in total in the season, down from 13 this season. Stephane Lissner, the general manager, said the decision was driven by ‘problems due both to the economic crisis and the constant decrease in public funding,’ adding that La Scala received €5 million (£4.28 million) less in state support in 2012. Mr Lissner said he had refused to raise ticket prices, shut down La Scala’s school or cut rehearsal time to make ends meet. … More than one third of La Scala’s €116 million budget in 2012 came from government funding, he said, much lower than the 50 per cent funding enjoyed by equivalent European opera houses. The remainder, €73 million, is derived from ticket sales, sponsorships and tours.”
Posted May 30, 2013
