La Scala needs to cough up 4.2 million euros ($5.43 USD) to balance its books before the end of the year. Over the summer, Milan's mayor Pisapia had warned the opera house of its creeping debt after it was awarded a 1.9 million euro contribution by the Italian state.
If Scala breaks even, its workers will be awarded (coincidentally) four million euro in bonuses. If not, a much smaller bonus will be extended. Budget woes come on the heels of [denied] rumors that Scala GM Lissner will soon jump ship to the Paris Opera before his contract expires in 2017.