Cover: Gianni Versace, Salome (Strauss), 1987, Photo © Lelli e Masotti

Twenty-four stage costumes from Teatro alla Scala will be exhibited at the Royal Palace of Milan, Italy, from October 10 until January 28, 2018.

The creations, that are extraordinary pieces of scenography, are designed by famous set, costume, and fashion designers who have worked for the Milanese theatre. They represent a production spanning from the 1930’s to today, selected among more than 60.000 costumes stored and preserved in the Theatre’s laboratories.

Academy Award winners Piero Tosi, Gabriella Pescucci and Franca Squarciapino are represented with their costumes; fashion designers Gianni Versace and Karl Lagerfeld with their creations for Robert Wilson and Luca Ronconi respectively; director and set designer Pier Luigi Pizzi – architect of baroque splendour – and many more who in theatre have enjoyed the freedom to dare, experimenting with new forms and materials like only the imaginary reality of the stage makes possible.

‘Incantesimi. I costumi del Teatro alla Scala dagli anni Trenta a oggi‘ – this is the title of the exhibition – is curated by Vittoria Crespi Morbio, historian of theatre scenography and an expert in the relationship between figurative arts and musical theatre. Crespi Morbio has curated several exhibitions and written numerous books and monographs on illustrious theatre designers.

The exhibition celebrates the 40th jubilee of the Amici della Scala association (Friends of the Teatro alla Scala) whose aim is to valorize the Theatre’s historical heritage.

For more information: Palazzo Reale of Milan