ROME (AP) — The Dec. 7 season premiere at Milan's La Scala opera house, a gala event that is one of Italy's cultural highlights, is being canceled after a rash of COVID-19 infections among musicians and chorus members.
The theater's board of directors concluded Wednesday that the status of the pandemic and Italy's virus-control measures, which include the closure of theaters, did not allow for "achieving a production open to the public and of the level and with the characteristics required" for the premiere.
"Lucia di Lammermoor" had been on the program for the season's opening. La Scala said the scheduled opening night performance and the shows set for the following days have been postponed.
READ MORE: At this Virginia theater, the show — and the masks — must go on
Politicians, business figures and other VIPs traditionally turn out for La Scala's season premiere, an official holiday in Milan.
The opera house reported a week ago that its entire orchestra had been told to quarantine after nine musicians tested positive for the coronavirus. The chorus was put under an earlier quarantine after 18 singers were confirmed to be infected.
A government decree issued last month to battle a surge in COVID-19 infections shut down Italy's theaters, cinemas and concert halls for a few weeks. Starting Thursday, Italian museums will also have to close their doors, at least until Dec. 2.
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
Canvas supported by
Knight Foundation
Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie, one of the world's best-known writers, was attacked and nearly killed by a young…
Creative Growth is an art center in Oakland that supports artists with disabilities. The center has artworks in museums across…
A scholar highlights some of the most interesting versions of the Passover text, from sumptuous engravings to stick-figure sketches, and…
The 1920s silent film star who appears on Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" abruptly left Hollywood at…
The NBA has banned Toronto two-way player Jontay Porter after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information to sports…
The new film "Civil War" is stirring debate and provoking conversation about where a divided nation could lead. It topped…
A movie weapons supervisor has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by…
PEN's response to Israel's invasion of Gaza has been widely criticized by writers who believe the organization has failed to…
Faith Ringgold, an award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her…
Entrepreneur and author Derrick Fennell has been a flight attendant for more than 14 years. Many of his passengers know…
The Italian-born designer became renowned in the early 1970s for his animal prints and a sexy Italian style that remained…
More than 4,000 library book bans were attempted in public and school libraries in 2023, according to the American Library…
The decorated football star who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but wound up…
In the summer of 2022, historic flooding in eastern Kentucky washed away homes and entire communities, claiming more than 40…
Her latest album, the epic "Act ll: Cowboy Carter," hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart, making her…