Prima delle Prime: “La forza del destino” by Giuseppe Verdi will inaugurate the new Season at La Scala on Saturday, December 7. This opera will be conducted by Maestro Riccardo Chailly, the musical director of the theater. He will present the 1869 version, rethought by Verdi for La Scala, according to the critical edition by Philip Gossett and William Holmes. The direction is by Leo Muscato. The international cast will feature:
- Anna Netrebko in the role of Donna Leonora (replaced by Elena Stikhina on December 28 and January 2),
- Brian Jagde as Don Alvaro (joined by Luciano Ganci on December 28 and January 2)
- and Ludovic Tézier as Don Carlo di Vargas (portrayed by Amartuvshin Enkhbat on January 2).
Completing the cast are
- Vasilisa Berzhanskaya (Preziosilla),
- Alexander Vinogradov (Padre Guardiano; replaced by Simon Lim on December 28 and January 2),
- Marco Filippo Romano (Fra Melitone),
- and Fabrizio Beggi (the Marquis of Calatrava).
The performance will be broadcast live on television on Rai1 and on radio on Radio3, in collaboration with Rai Cultura. The Premiere will be preceded by a preview for those under 30 on December 4, with additional performances on December 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 28, and January 2.
“La forza del destino”: 10th Season Opening for Riccardo Chailly
This production marks the 9th Verdi title conducted by Riccardo Chailly at La Scala and his 10th season opening. After tackling works such as “Giovanna d’Arco” (2015), “Attila” (2018), and “Macbeth” (2021), last year the Maestro conducted the famous “Don Carlo”.
“La forza del destino” has been absent from the La Scala schedule since the centenary Verdi season in 2001 when it was brought to the theater by the Mariinsky Theater complex from St. Petersburg. However, the La Scala Orchestra and Choir have not performed it since 1999 (it was conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti), and the only inaugural staging was in 1965, conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni.
This opera represents a relatively rare masterpiece in the La Scala repertoire, but it is deeply connected to the musical and theatrical tradition of the theater. Chailly’s choice reflects a particular attention to lesser-known Verdi masterpieces that hold extraordinary artistic value, and it connects to the recent “Boris Godunov,” influenced by Verdi’s St. Petersburg composition.
The Plot. “La forza del destino” tells a tragic tale of love and revenge. Donna Leonora, daughter of a Spanish nobleman, falls in love with Don Alvaro, but their love is hindered by her father. A tragic accident causes the death of the Marquis of Calatrava, unleashing a spiral of grudges. Don Carlo, Leonora’s brother, vows revenge against Alvaro. The story, intertwined with themes of guilt, forgiveness, and inescapable fate, culminates in a dramatic finale.
