La Scala Workers Call Strike for Opening Night of Gounod's Faust

Workers at Teatro alla Scala have called a strike for next Tuesday — the opening night of Gounod's Faust, conducted by Daniele Rustioni. Four unions backed the action: Cgil, Cisl, Uil and Fials. Their demand is a 15 percent pay rise, as reported by Slippedisc.

The walkout targets the most visible date in Milan's opera calendar. An opening night at La Scala is never just a performance; it's the house's flagship event, staged with full orchestra, chorus and international soloists. A strike on that evening puts the premiere itself at risk, according to the Slippedisc report, which drew on coverage from Wanted in Milan.

Who is behind the strike?

The four unions represent the broad base of La Scala's workforce. Cgil, Cisl and Uil are Italy's three largest union confederations; Fials organizes public-sector and service workers. When all four act together, they cover the staff an opera house needs to open its doors — from stagehands and technicians to front-of-house and administrative employees.

That matters here. A conductor and cast can be ready, but without stage crews, box office staff and the rest of the workforce, the curtain doesn't rise.

What does this change for the opening?

The immediate question is whether the Faust premiere goes ahead on Tuesday. The strike call gives La Scala's management a narrow window to negotiate a settlement or arrange contingency plans. Neither the house nor unions have publicly signaled movement beyond the initial report.

The pay demand sets the terms: 15 percent. That figure is substantial by any standard, and it arrives amid broader cost-of-living pressure on cultural-sector wages across Europe. La Scala has not commented publicly on the demand, according to the Slippedisc report.

Why opening night?

Timing is the workers' leverage. Striking on an ordinary performance reaches a few thousand people; striking on a premiere reaches the press, the sponsors and the city. It's the same calculus trade unions have used at other major houses, where a threatened gala is often enough to force management to the table.

Rustioni, the conductor scheduled for the premiere, is not a party to the dispute. But his Faust is now the venue for it, unless management and the four unions reach an agreement before Tuesday. Watch for statements from La Scala's Sovrintendente (the house's general superintendent) in the coming days — that's where a settlement, or a cancellation, will be announced.