No flip-flops or cell phones: Milan's La Scala imposes decorum
What's more annoying at the opera: a tank top or the sound of candy? Italian fans are increasingly annoyed by certain behaviors in the theater, especially at venues like Milan's La Scala, the country's most prestigious opera house, where authorities have decided to take action. They haven't created new rules, but rather have opted to enforce existing, often ignored, ones. With the arrival of summer, the maschere —the theater ushers—have strict instructions: those wearing suspenders, shorts, or flip-flops will not be allowed in. Signs warn that anyone who violates the rules will not be admitted and will not be entitled to a refund.
The theater's official notice reads: "Management invites the public to choose attire that is in keeping with the Theater's decor, out of respect for the Theater itself and other audience members." Employees should use common sense: distinguish between an elegant sleeveless shirt and a halter top, or between beach flip-flops and the traditional Japanese footwear sometimes worn by audience members in kimonos.
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How did we get to this point? Alberto Mattioli, journalist and author of several essays on the world of opera, reconstructs the decline of these customs: “Until a few years ago, tickets carried a strict notice requiring a jacket and tie in the stalls and boxes, and a dark suit for premiere performances. But with the Milan Expo in 2015, tourists unfamiliar with this world began to arrive, and the requirement was diluted.” It's not that shorts are now allowed, but the rigidity has been lost. “In Italy,” Mattioli continues, “rules aren't repealed, modified, or updated. They simply evaporate.”
Other major theaters have similar rules. The Paris Opera requires appropriate attire, and at galas, dark suits are recommended for men and dresses for women. At the Berlin State Opera, elegance is "appreciated," while at the Royal Opera House in London, people are encouraged to dress "as they feel most comfortable."
The transformation of La Scala into a mass tourism destination has its consequences. Theater regulars report all sorts of scenes, such as those of certain audience members who, seeking selfies, try to enter the stalls with bottles of champagne, chased by ushers, and then leave during the first interval to continue taking photos for Instagram. There's also the opposite phenomenon to shorts: overdressing, that is, those who show up in tails at evening performances.
Read alsoBut more than clothing, it's the audience's behavior that's worrying. Arguments over bad manners are becoming more frequent: the usual ones, such as loudly opening candy, talking during the performance, persistent coughing, or noisy jewelry. And then there are the new ones. The great enemy of the "darkness in the auditorium," which Arturo Toscanini had imposed as director of La Scala at the end of the 19th century, is the mobile phone screen.
In February, during the second act of Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio , a fight nearly erupted: a front-row audience member was struck by a cell phone that fell from a box. The man, barely touched, shouted "I'm suing you!" and refused to return the device to the theater staff: "She has to come and get it, so I'll sue her." It ended without consequences, but shouting and brawls have become common.
Mattioli has a clear method for dealing with rude people: "From the very beginning, you have to be inflexible. Usually, they learn. Especially in the dark, a piece of candy is much worse than a tank top."
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