The nomination is postponed waiting for something new this morning superintendent of the Teatro alla Scala of Milan, a topic on the agenda of the meeting of the board of directors, which has concluded. The accredited hypothesis of Fortunato Ortombina that from La Fenice he should arrive at La Scala as Dominique Meyer’s successor, remains more than valid.
According to what we understand, it was La who postponed everything proposal made to the councilors by mayor Beppe Salawho is also president of the foundation that controls the theater, of extend by one year – until 2026 – the mandate of Meyer and musical director Riccardo Chailly, both expiring in February 2025. The Board of Directors would have agreed with the proposal, without however proceeding to the vote. The Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, will also have to express his opinion on this.
The twist, or even more appropriate, the “coup de the’atre” during the Board of Directors meeting also stunned the councillors, who upon arriving at Piermarini had optimistically said “let’s hope” the appointment will be made today. On the other hand, in the last board of directors meeting on 11 March, it emerged that there was ‘full’ agreement between Sala and the minister of culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, on the name of Ortombina. So after these weeks of reflection we were only waiting for the ratification of the appointment by the councillors. Instead, the proposal of the mayor and president Giuseppe Sala, to extend Meyer and Chailly until 2026, brings everything back to a standstill, at least until Sangiuliano gives his opinion.
On the other hand, it was well known that Meyer enjoyed the support of the mayor who always recognized the work he did during the difficult years of the pandemic, managing to keep the accounts in order. As well as the approval of the orchestra, which in a letter sent to the mayor of Sala and the Board of Directors a couple of weeks ago, had asked for the superintendent’s extension for two years, until 2027. More than one cloud can be glimpsed on the horizon: not only because of the minister’s desire to finally have an Italian superintendent, to interrupt twenty years of foreign leadership, but also because Dominique Meyer will turn 70 on 8 August 2025, exceeding the age limit for superintendents, wanted by Sangiuliano himself.
If the obstacle is overcome, and the one-year extension digested, Fortunato Ortombina from La Fenice di Venezia would arrive in 2026 in place of Meyer and Daniele Gatti (he is the most insistent voice) from Maggio Musicale Fiorentino on the Chailly podium.
The ministry: the extensions block the relaunch of the sector
“We are working hard for the Opera and to infuse the sector with new dynamism, but the undefined and the extensions risk slowing down the relaunch of the system of opera-symphonic foundations”. And how much declared the Undersecretary for Culture, Gianmarco Mazzi. “We will evaluate technical insights – adds Mazzi – to be carried out in the exercise of supervisory powers”. “We are very respectful of the prerogatives of the Board of Directors of the Teatro alla Scala and of the expectations of the city of Milan. The Teatro alla Scala is a pride of the nation, a source of pride for Milan and an Italian excellence and this is why we support it with determination In the two-year period 2023/2024 – recalls the undersecretary – the Ministry of Culture has, in fact, financed it with approximately 83 million euros. These are the certainties that we provide to the workers of La Scala and do not depend on the appointments which, by their nature, are subject to expiry. A mandate has a deadline, precisely to encourage turnover and renewal, and is independent of the evaluation of the work carried out”.