Piccola Rock

Piccola Scala ( Italian: Piccola Scala ) - opera house in Milan (via via Filodrammatici), which existed from 1955 to 1983. From 1982, the dedication of Arturo Toscanini was included in the name of the theater.

A small theater with 600 seats, located in close proximity to the famous La Scala (hence the name), was opened in 1955 with the production of the opera The Secret Marriage by D. Cimarosa (conducted by N. Sandzogno ). It was used for productions of rarely performed operas of the 17th – 18th centuries, as well as the latest (20th century) compositions for musical theater.

Among the productions of the old operas The Maid of Madame J. B. Pergolesi (1956), Mithridates Eupator A. Scarlatti (1956), Chekkina, or the well-meaning girl (La Cecchina) N. Piccinni (1957), Frauds of Women ”(“ Astuzzie femminili ”) by D. Cimarosa (1960),“ Nina ”by J. Paisiello (1961),“ Xerxes ”by G. F. Handel (1962),“ Orpheus ”(1957) and“ The Return of Ulysses to its Homeland ” " C. Monteverdi (1972, conductor N. Arnoncourt ); in the contemporary repertoire are the works of J. F. Ghedini (The Happy Deceiver, 1956), I.F. Stravinsky (The History of the Soldier , 1957), N. Rota (The Night of the Neurasthenic, 1960), S. Sharrino (" Cupid and Psyche ”, 1973), B. Maderny (“ Satyricon ”, 1974), B. Britten (“ Albert Herring ”, 1979), F. Malipiero , R. Malipiero , G. Petrassi and other authors. Rarely performed chamber operas of the 19th century were also staged here, including twice (in 1959 and 1982) "The Stumbling Stone" by J. Rossini and (in 1958 and 1983) "The Stone Guest" by A. S. Dargomyzhsky .

According to the new municipal standards for organizing public events, the number of seats in Piccola Scala in 1983 was reduced from 600 to 350, after which the theater became unprofitable. In October 1983, the next season was suddenly interrupted. The building passed into the ownership of the famous neighbor, who occupied the former theater under his warehouse. During the reconstruction of La Scala, which took place in 2001-2004, the Piccola Scala building was finally demolished.