As we tweeted earlier live from la Scala, Daniel Barenboim got slapped around quite a bit by the loggione at Scala for his decision to conduct a speedy, macho, not particularly subtle, rushed Simon Boccanegra -- his personal wrestling match with the upper tier of the opera house was particularly rough at halftime, with many jeers and even a few people yelling "vergogna" (and at least one obscenity) to the unflappable conductor.
At the final curtain call, the loggione sort of went to town but quickly left after the first round of boos; the general effect at final curtain was a mix of boos and bravi. Jose Carreras, that wonderful gentleman, present in the audience -- palco reale, the royal box baby! -- to enjoy his old colleague Placido Domingo's performance as Boccanegra, received a nice "bravo Carreras", too.
Placidone -- together with the production crew -- received a share of the booing, too, a most crass decision by those in the audience who booed him given that Domingo underwent surgery for colon cancer a month ago -- if you didn't like the dude's performance fine, shut the hell up for once, the man showed courage and grace during rehearsals and tonight, don't boo for once, the integrity of the art form will survive ok thx.