On Thursday, Ukraine's consul in Milan asked La Scala opera house not to open its season this year with the Russian opera Boris Godunov, to avert possible propaganda-like uses of the Mussorgsky classic.
Consul Adrii Kartysh has written to the superintendent of La Scala Dominique Meyer, to the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, and to the governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana.
Kartysh has asked all parties to "review" the theatre’s programming, requesting that La Scala halt the inauguration of the season on December 7 with ‘Boris Godunov’, and also that the theatre avoid other Russian shows, so as not to pander to "any propaganda elements", the consul said in a statement.
Several other associations that represent Ukraine in Italy have also protested the theatre’s decision to stage the Mussorgsky classic at this turbulent time, calling for performances of Russian works to be held off until the war in Ukraine is over.
There was no immediate comment from La Scala, however according to Reuters, a source close to the matter said that it was too late to change long established plans for the season’s opening night, with sets already in place.
