Filarmonica della Scala
Filarmonica della Scala was first set up by Claudio Abbado and the musicians of La Scala Opera House in 1982 with the aim of developing a symphonic repertoire. Carlo Maria Giulini conducted the Orchestra in more than 90 concerts. Riccardo Muti has been the Principal Conductor from 1987 to 2005, marking a decisive contribution to the Orchestra’s artistic development. Riccardo Chailly was named Principal Conductor in 2015.
Filarmonica della Scala has collaborated with some of the greatest conductors of the time: Georges Prêtre, Lorin Maazel, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Zubin Metha, Leonard Bernstein and many others. Daniel Barenboim and Valery Gergiev are honorary members. Filarmonica has deep relations with Myung-whun Chung, Daniel Harding, Daniele Gatti.
From 2013 Filarmonica hosts the “Concerto per Milano” in Piazza Duomo, an acclaimed event which has made more than 40.000 people attendance every year. An educational project, addressed specifically to primary school children, is the “Sound, Music!” initiative.
Filarmonica also has a long tradition in supporting Milan’s main scientific institutions and voluntary bodies, through special concerts for their benefit and open rehearsals belonging to the series “Prove Aperte”.
Filarmonica has a particular interest in contemporary music from the beginning, every season features a new commission to an important composer of our time.
Filarmonica performed more than 600 concerts on tour in the last 30 years. Important milestones have included the Orchestra’s debut in the United States with Riccardo Chailly and in China with Myung-Whun Chung. The FDS's 2017-2018 Tour will feature the orchestra in performances Lucerna, London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Freiburg, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, Luxembourg with Riccardo Chailly, and Istanbul with Daniel Harding.
Filarmonica has made numerous recordings for music labels such as the album “Viva Verdi” for Decca with Riccardo Chailly and, for Sony, the project “900 Italiano” that by now counts 3 DVDs directed by Georges Prêtre, Fabio Luisi and Gianandrea Noseda. A new CDs for Decca with Riccardo Chailly has been released in January and two others will appear in 2017-2018 season.
Filarmonica della Scala’s activity is supported by the Main Partner UniCredit.
As of July 2017
© Silvia Lelli