La Scala cancelled the first performance of Charles Gounod’s Faust on 20 October after its workers went on strike. The Milan opera house faces a dispute over its 2027–2029 contract. Online ticket purchases are to be refunded automatically, while the theatre’s board has authorised negotiations without specifying the resources available. The next performance is scheduled for 24 October.
La Scala, the opera house in Milan, cancelled the first performance of Charles Gounod’s Faust scheduled for 20 October after its workers went on strike. The foundation running the theatre said conditions did not permit the performance to go ahead. The next performance is scheduled for 24 October.[1], [2]
The dispute concerns renewal of the theatre’s Contratto Unico 4.0, its agreement for the 2027–2029 period. The strike was proclaimed at the workers’ assembly on 12 October by the four unions SLC CGIL, FISTEL CISL, UILFPC UIL and FIALS. The board authorised the superintendent to begin negotiations. It did not specify how much money it intended to make available for the renewal.[1]
A union statement described the negotiating mandate as necessary but insufficient without concrete financial indications. It argued that workers could not assess the real willingness to reach a satisfactory agreement without knowing the available resources. For online purchases, the ticket refund is automatic and returns through the payment method used for the original transaction. The cancellation therefore also sets an immediate refund process for ticket holders.[1]
