The legendary Teatro alla Scala from Milan will visit the Savonlinna Opera Festival in summer 2019. On its first visit to Finland, La Scala will perform I masnadieri (The Bandits) by Giuseppe Verdi and a star-studded gala concert at the Olavinlinna castle in Savonlinna. The visit is among the most impressive in the opera festival's history, as well as its single biggest financial investment.

"The visit by the Teatro alla Scala from Milan is a great honour for us, as they visit only specially selected opera houses in the world, and this will be their first ever visit to Finland. The visit by La Scala will mark the biggest investment in the history of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, as well as an exceptionally large-scale production involving almost 230 people from Italy," says Jorma Silvasti, Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Giuseppe Verdi's I masnadieri (The Bandits) is a new production by La Scala that will premiere in Milan in June 2019. The opera is directed by David McVicar, who visited the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2017 as director of Rigoletto. Rigoletto will again be on the programme in Savonlinna in summer 2019.

In addition, the programme for 2019 includes a special gala concert featuring world-renowned singers such as Sonya Yoncheva, Giorgio Berrugi, Leo Nucci and Ferruccio Furlanetto.

"We have had visiting opera houses at the Savonlinna Opera Festival since 1987. Despite these long traditions, hosting the first ever visit to Finland by the historic Italian opera house on our stage in the medieval Olavinlinna castle is something truly unique. La Scala is mobilising its best people for this production," says Jan Strandholm, General Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival. "It's also wonderful to get to host La Scala's new production of I masnadieri so soon after its debut."

Attracting the new production by La Scala to Savonlinna is the result of many years of work. "Alexander Pereira, CEO of La Scala, visited the Savonlinna Opera Festival ten years ago and loved it. When we began discussing a possible visit by La Scala, he said immediately that it had to be done," says Artistic Director Jorma Silvasti.

Hosting La Scala in Finland is being made possible thanks in particular to a major donation of over a million euros by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, public support and the support of sponsors. "We are extremely grateful to all our supporters who have made this great visit possible," both Silvasti and Strandholm emphasise.

Ticket sale will be open Friday July 6, at 9 am, www.operafestival.fi

Watch an interview with Artistic Director Jorma Silvasti (now only in Finnish, will come later with subtitles): https://youtu.be/rDl30nv1s_w

La Scala in a nutshell:

Official name: Teatro alla Scala

One of the most famous opera houses in the world

Located in Milan, Italy

First opened in 1778

Many world-famous operas and the works of the most renowned Italian opera composers have debuted at La Scala, and the world's most famous opera singers have performed there.

The career of composer Giuseppe Verdi began and ended at La Scala. His juvenile opera Oberto, and the masterworks Nabucco, Otello and Falstaff debuted there.

The gala concert at the Savonlinna Opera Festival will feature performances by the likes of Sonya Yoncheva, Giorgio Berrugi, Leo Nucci and Ferruccio Furlanetto.

http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/index.html

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