Maestro Riccardo Chailly (pictured) is the worthy and solid winner of the “Scaliger Personality of the Year” award, but also the “Best Conductor” of the season awarded by the Galleria Prize, a seal offered by the Galli family and awarded by a jury of musicologists, critics, journalists, musicians, cultural organizers and experts headed by Pier Galli, manager of the Galleria Restaurant (in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele), the famous historic venue, which became the most classic meeting place for artists after the Scala and the audience leaving, even late into the night, from Piermarini red velvet. An event designed and organized to dedicate to the artistic figure of La Scala who during the opera season has “contributed most to the prestige and vitality of the Theatre, interpreting its spirit with passion and dedication”. Two prizes were awarded directly by the Board of Directors, chaired by Pier Galli, together with Alberto Mattioli, Elvio Giudici and Marco Vizzardelli: the “Scaliger Character” was awarded to Chailly, La Scala’s musical director since 2015, while the “Lifetime Achievement Award” was awarded to bass Michele Pertusi, whose many nights at La Scala are remembered, starting from his debut in the 1996/1997 season with Il Turco in Italy and now he is expected to play a role. as Zaccaria in Nabucco. All other prizes were decided by the jury: thus, “Best Performance of the season” was awarded to Il nome della rosa, an opera by Francesco Filidei with a libretto by Filidei himself and Stefano Busellato, with Hannah Dübgen and Carlo Pernigotti, directed by Damiano Michieletto. Chailly also received “Best Director” honors for his direction of La forza del Destino, last season’s premiere, and Weill Triptych, which was staged in May.
“Best director” was Robert Carsen for Cosi fan tutte, best singer was Anna Netrebko, for her Donna Leonora in La forza del Destino, and – a new category – “Best opera composer” was Francesco Filidei for The Name of the Rose. Awards ceremony tomorrow night at the Galleria with risotto and ossobuco.
