THE NEW LIFE OF THE TEATRO ALLA SCALA

‘The Scala is the first theatre in the world, because it is that which gives the maximum enjoyment’ (Stendhal 1816). Unfortunately, after two centuries of glorious service, the historical-monumental part and the hall of the theatre clearly needed restoration interventions, while the backstage, subjected to the wear of time, having undergone haphazard additions and continual adaptations over the years, was no longer able to meet the request of a today’s theatre. The project of the New Teatro alla Scala was hence composed of two distinctive parts: the project of the refurbishment and of the restoration of the historical-monumental part and the project of the buildings for the new scenic plant. This paper presents an overview of the design concepts and of the problems encountered during the design phases and during the restoring and construction works.