The Ansaldo Laboratories of the Scala Theatre in Milan are literally the “behind the scenes” of every theatrical or musical performance held at the Scala. In fact, they are huge creative laboratories, within which it is possible to find many artists; from set designers to costume designers, makeup artists to technical operators. Every show, before being brought to the scene, is scrutinized by of an infinite number of people who do not appear on stage but are fundamental for the success of the representations. You can visit the Ansaldo laboratories by booking in advance.
The Scala Theatre in Milan is certainly one of the most important theatres of the Italian artistic scene, along with the famous Ariston, home of the Sanremo Festival. Every season they give life to theatrical and musical performances, ranging from drama to comedy, passing through opera and contemporary music. Theater though is not just actors and scripts but, indeed, is a charming combination of scenography, make-up, lights and art. A good 80% of everything that actually allows to give life to the actual shows happens behind the scenes. In the case of La Scala, the behind the scenes is represented by the Ansaldo Laboratories. Let’s see what they are all about.
The Scala Theatre in Milan: history
The Scala Theatre in Milan was built in 1778 near the church of Santa Maria della Scala. The theater was built on the design of the architect Giuseppe Piermarini following the mysterious circumstances that, in 1776, had seen the historical theatre of the city, Teatro Regio Ducale burn down. It was in mid-1943, many years later, that the theatre was heavily damaged by bombing, but it reopened in 1946. Only in more recent times (between 2002 and 2004), The Scala has undergone a heavy renovation intervention, with the addition of two new towers.
The Ansaldo Laboratories in Milan: what happens inside?
It Is within the Scala Ansaldo laboratories of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan that we can find the fantastic background of the wonderful shows that will enlighten the season of ballet, prose and Opera. It is precisely in the Ansaldo laboratories, in fact, that alchemy comes to life: it is here that the set designers prepare and study every scenography in detail, the costume designers deal with the choice and the making of the stage clothes, it is also here that everything is organized, from time management, to lights, background music and much more.
The tour of the backstage turns out to be very interesting especially for art lovers, since, because of the preparation of each scenography, there is no lack of opportunity to observe the workers including carpenters, sculptors and painters of International fame, immersed in their work.
Visit the Ansaldo laboratories at La Scala: all the useful info
Visiting the Ansaldo laboratories at La Scala is a unique and very interesting experience. To do this, however, early booking is necessary, since the visits are real tours with an actual specialized guide. The tour involves crossing both main pavilions: Bonois Pavilion and Caramba Pavilion, with guided tour to the costume warehouse. Workshops are open for groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for private tours on request only, depending on the availability of the calendar. The visits start from a minimum of 4 people up to 20 participants, for the costs of the individual tickets we refer you to the official website www.museoscala.org
