Verdi's La forza del destino: La Scala 2024-25 season opener

One of the classical music world's yearly highlights is back on medici.tv in 2024: the opening night at Milan's legendary Teatro alla Scala, coming to you — as always — on December 7, the feast day of Milan's patron saint Sant'Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose), and bringing — as always — an extraordinarily prestigious cast of vocalists to one of the greatest operas ever composed. This year, it is Verdi's La forza del destino (The Power of Fate) that opens the season on a high note with soprano Anna Netrebko (whose "pure beauty of voice and control of phrase are irresistible," according to a rave review in Gramophone), baritone Ludovic Tézier pulling off "one of the all time great pieces of Verdi baritone singing" (Gramophone) as her vengeful brother Don Carlo, and tenor Brian Jagde as her beloved Don Alvaro, from whom fate conspires to keep her.

Maestro Riccardo Chailly conducts his ninth Verdi production at La Scala, leading the excellent house orchestra in one of the most passionate of all Italian opera scores, beginning with a stormy Overture popular enough to feature regularly on symphonic concert programs; staging falls once more to the marvelous Leo Muscato, whose productions at this storied venue have won resounding acclaim. A night at the opera not to be missed!

Photo © Brescia e Amisano / La Scala