La Scala: LADY MACBETH OF THE MTSENSK DISTRICT

Opera in four acts (1934) New Production! La Scala’s gala season opening is always a glittering affair, and one of the most significant productions of the year. This year, the company marks the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, with a brand-new staging of his masterpiece, based on the novella by Nikolai Leskov. In the story, Katerina (American soprano Sara Jakubiak) the lonely young wife of a merchant begins a passionate affair with Sergey (acclaimed Uzbeki tenor Najmiddin Mavlyanov), one of his workers, commencing a cycle of violence that will lead her to ruin. Maestro Riccardo Chailly conducts one of 20th Century opera’s most powerful scores, celebrated for its raw emotional force, vivid orchestration, and unflinching portrayal of passion.