The general manager of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala bid a bittersweet farewell during the presentation of the 2024-25 season, expressing his desire to continue in his role. Dominique Meyer, a Frenchman, will be concluding his contract at the end of February after being limited to one term by Italy’s far-right-led government, which aims to prioritize Italians in leadership positions at cultural institutions. Meyer will be succeeded by Fortunato Ortombina, currently from Venice’s La Fenice theater, who will officially take over in September after meeting with Milan’s mayor.
Meyer’s final gala premiere will feature Verdi’s “The Force of Destiny” with renowned performers Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann on December 7. The upcoming season will also include the world premiere of “In the Name of the Rose,” an opera based on Umberto Eco’s novel, commissioned by La Scala and the Paris Opera. Meyer emphasized the importance of stability in leadership, hinting at the challenges of managing a theater amidst changing mandates.
Despite being invited to stay until August 2025, Meyer has not confirmed whether he will accept the extension, as new regulations require opera house directors to retire at the age of 70. During his tenure, Meyer managed to increase sponsor contributions to 38 million euros last year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. He also boosted the daily box office revenue by 22% to 236,000 euros by eliminating last-minute discounted tickets that he believed negatively impacted the market. As he departs, La Scala is left with 132.7 million euros in cash, a significant increase from 2018.
