In Milan, from 30th November to 7th December 2026
Prima Diffusa 2026
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The fifteenth edition of Prima Diffusa
MONDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2026, 6:30 P.M.
Opening event at the Brera Academy
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Plot, characters, the genesis of the opera, great performers of the past and contemporary interpretations of Otello: audiences will be guided through one of the masterpieces of Giuseppe Verdi’s mature period, exploring its musical, dramatic and cultural dimensions.
Mattia Palma, dramaturg for the new La Scala production directed by Damiano Michieletto, will offer insights into the interpretation and reimagining of the opera for the stage. He will focus on the characters’ ambiguities, the mechanisms of manipulation and the many possible readings of a story that continues to resonate with contemporary audiences. This will be followed by Fabio Sartorelli, who will guide the audience through the plot, anecdotes and fascinating details surrounding the creation and theatrical legacy of Verdi’s masterpiece.
The event will also feature a performance of Desdemona’s Ave Maria, one of the most celebrated and moving passages from the fourth act of Otello. Students from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala will perform the piece in a version for voice and strings, offering a musical moment that conveys the full emotional intensity and expressive refinement of Verdi’s final creative period.
The event will take place in Room 38, Aula di Scenografia at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Piazzetta Brera. Doors open at 6.00 pm.
FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2026, 8.30 P.M.
Ciprus, (about) 1480 - Otello told by Stefano Nazzi
As part of Prima Diffusa, Stefano Nazzi will explore Otello as an extraordinary investigation into the mechanisms that precede a tragedy. Not a story about jealousy, but one about how a false narrative can become reality.
The event will take place in the Shareholders’ Hall at Palazzo Edison, Foro Buonaparte 31.
FREE ADMISSION, SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.
Registration is recommended. The registration link will be available from 26 November.
La Scala opening night screenings
Admission to all screenings is free, subject to availability. Events marked with the musical note icon will be preceded at 4.30 pm by a listening guide presented by the Accademia Teatro alla Scala.
15 years of Prima Diffusa
Explore the gallery to discover the posters from all fifteen editions.
15
Prima Diffusa editions
Oltre 200.000
The number of people who have attended Prima Diffusa over the years
Oltre 80
Venues across Milan that have hosted Prima Diffusa
Oltre 300
Complementary events that have enriched the Prima Diffusa programme
True sustainability cannot exist without social inclusion. This is why, together with the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Milan, Prima Diffusa brings opera to every corner of the city. A project that strengthens our connection with the community where our story began.
Nicola Monti, CEO of Edison
Edison and Teatro alla Scala
A partnership spanning more than 140 years, dating back to 1883, when Edison used 2,450 electric light bulbs to illuminate a performance at Teatro alla Scala for the first time.
This year, our relationship with Teatro alla Scala enters a new chapter with the fifteenth edition of Prima Diffusa and further progress in improving the energy efficiency of the theatre’s premises.
