Earlier today in Milan, la Scala's unions have decided to strike on July 9, when the premiere of "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" with Juan Diego Florez was supposed to take place.
After all, the Italian Parliament has voted on -- and passed -- the dreaded "Decreto Bondi" that will reform certain procedures of Italy's Enti Lirici, so they're basically on strike because they're mad at Parliament.
Not to mention, since la Scala -- thanks to megadoses of taxpayers money, of course -- managed at least to balance the budget these last few years (many other Italian opera houses don't) the harsher provisions of an already declawed law won't even hit la Scala that much (it's a different story if your theater's in the red).
Of course, due to some regulations contained in the new law, La Scala's orchestra and chorus might find it difficult to keep on moonlighting as freelancers the way they do -- getting second and third and fourth (freelance) jobs on the side, the way they currently do, even if they've been hired full time (on paper, at least) by the opera house.
The law's been passed and it stays in the books. This isn't even a strike, it's a temper tantrum. And it cancels the premiere of one of the few Scala productions of the lamey 2009-2010 season people were actually looking forward to.
Next week la Scala unions will vote on a plan to cancel the two forthcoming Scala tours -- one trip to Naples, the other to Argentina.