I had been dreaming of seeing a performance there ...

I had been dreaming of seeing a performance there for many years. I naively thought that after my first experience I would come back on my repeat visits to Milan. It was truly legendary in its day. I came back to Milan many times, but never again to La Scala. First, the quality of their singers. I have seen some premier performers of Bel Canto tradition - Mirella Freni, Nikolai Ghiaurov, Luciano Pavarotti (all La Scala singers), and dozens of lesser singers. Most people raving about the theatre I believe have no basis for comparison. The quality of the current La Scala premiere singers was underwhelming to say the least. They were better of course than some provincial troupe outside of Italy. It was a premiere of the opera, and all the Milanese enthusiasts came to support their singers. They applauded and shouted bravo , but I was stunned with disappointment. Second, the acoustics. When I saw Freni, she filled the theatre (not La Scala) with her voice, every nook and cranny in every box and all the way at the nosebleed seats. I know as I talked to people for hours after that extraordinary performance. Did La Scala ruin the acoustics with their recent renovation? You could barely hear at the back of the box. Third, production values. The experience started with the backstage crew walking out on the stage in jeans and tees holding a large banner denouncing the administration. Way to start a classical performance! The rest was just horrendous modern degenerate stuff. Watch Woody Allen s comedy To Rome With Love to get a picture of what it was like. I paid 300 for this?! Fourth, the seating arrangement. You can see only a 1/2 of the stage from the box, if you stand up and lean. The picture on their site would be accurate only if you lean over the row in front of you. Fifth, there was no intermission for the entire duration of the opera. What the hell? It s the first for me. In addition, when some people pay hundreds of euros for performances, they think all rules of etiquette and propriety go out of the window. That includes the Milanese, unfortunately. I m truly sad to say: never again. La Scala has lost its mojo.