"Faust" at la Scala, that opened earlier tonight, had a lot of interesting things going on for it. A genius director (Eimuntas Nekrosius) and young conductor (Stephane Deneve) and an interesting -- at least on paper -- cast.
Then it all collapsed, fast.
The night began with the chorus on stage reading aloud their union's statement, explaining that they would appear on stage in their street clothes, refusing to wear the production costumes and to follow the director's directions (later, they just stood on stage singing, with no acting whatsoever). The orchestra in the pit was also in plain clothes.
All this to protest the new law currently in the Italian House that would diminish, according to the unions, the opera houses resources.
The immediate reaction from the loggione was a near riot of protest; foreign Scalagoers who did not understand the Italian-only statement by the chorus were utterly baffled by the whole thing.
By the end of the (long, almost 4 and a half hours) night, everyone got booed, badly, except Irina Lungu (Marguerite). Even the conductor, not-so-shaggilly-haired-for-once Stephane Deneve, got booed, a lot.
The production team -- Lithuanian director Eimuntas Nekrosius and his team -- did not show up for curtain calls because, obviously, with the chorus refusing to follow directions and refusing to wear costumes, this wasn't really the "Faust" he had created.
Opera Chic's take on the whole mess?
If you don't feel like putting on a show because you're protesting for what you perceive as your inalienable workers rights, stay home. Strike. And let the opera house cancel the show, refund the ticket buyers (Platea and front-row Palchi tickets for la Scala, will set you back 224.40 euros, i.e. 277.93 US dollars).
Stay home next time. This passive-aggressive, half-a$$ed chicanery is just -- well, sad.