Teatro alla Scala: The World's Most Famous Opera House, 15 Minutes from Our B&B
From the outside it is almost disappointing – a sober neoclassical facade on a small square, easy to walk past. Inside, Teatro alla Scala is the most storied opera house on earth. For guests at Taylor's Love Solferino B&B it is a straight walk down through Brera.
Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Photo: Yorick39, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Getting There from Our B&B
On foot: approximately 1.2 km, about 15 minutes from Via Solferino 56. Walk down Via Solferino, into Via Brera past the Pinacoteca, then along Via Verdi – the theatre appears on your right.
By metro: from Moscova (M2 green line), 300 metres away, to Cadorna, then M1 to Duomo or Montenapoleone. The walk is quicker and far more pleasant.
Built in Eight Months, on the Site of a Church
The old ducal theatre burned down in 1776. La Scala was built in its place – on the site of the church of Santa Maria alla Scala, which gave it its name – and opened on 3 August 1778, designed by Giuseppe Piermarini.
It was bombed in August 1943 and left roofless. Milan rebuilt it before it rebuilt much else, and it reopened on 11 May 1946 with a concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini, who had returned from exile. That evening is still remembered as the moment the city decided it was alive again.
Verdi premiered Nabucco, Otello and Falstaff here. Puccini premiered Madama Butterfly here – to catastrophic booing, in 1904. Maria Callas made her name on this stage.
How to Actually See It
- The museum – Museo Teatrale alla Scala, open daily. The ticket usually includes a look into a box overlooking the auditorium, provided no rehearsal is running.
- A performance – the season runs from December to July, with ballet and concerts through the autumn.
- Opening night – 7 December, the feast of Sant'Ambrogio, patron saint of Milan. The most important social event of the Italian year.
- Gallery tickets – the cheapest seats, high up, are sold on the day for a small sum. Queue early at the box office in the metro underpass.
- Dress – smart. Jackets for men in the stalls and boxes; nobody will turn you away from the gallery, but Milan dresses up.
Practical Information
- Museum: roughly 09:30 to 17:30 daily, around 12 to 15 euro.
- Performance tickets: from about 30 euro in the gallery to well over 200 in the stalls; released months ahead on the official site.
- Same-day gallery tickets: a limited number sold from the afternoon box office – arrive early.
- Best time to visit the museum: first thing in the morning, when there is a better chance the auditorium is free to view.
- Booking ahead: essential for performances, not needed for the museum.
What Is Around the Corner
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II opens directly opposite the theatre and leads to the Duomo. The Quadrilatero della Moda begins two minutes east. You can see all of it in a morning and walk home to Brera for lunch.
Why Staying in Brera Makes the Difference
Taylor's Love Solferino B&B is at Via Solferino 56 in Zone 1, the historic centre, between Brera, Moscova and Corso Garibaldi. Opera finishes late – often after 23:00 – and walking fifteen minutes home through quiet Brera streets is a considerably better end to the evening than hunting for a night bus.
For travellers who prefer a short stay apartment in Milan centre to a hotel, the B&B offers free self check-in with a smart lock, so you can come and go at any hour. Porta Garibaldi FS, 700 metres away, connects directly to Malpensa Airport with the Malpensa Express.