La Piccolo Scala

In the 18th century days of Mozart and Haydn, Europe was dotted with small opera houses that regularly gave light musical dramas or comedies of manners. Most of the houses were supported by the local duke or prince; most of the listeners were his personal guests. Their powdered periwigs bobbed together to the familiar rhythms on stage and they tittered behind lace kerchiefs at the coquettish young chambermaids, amorous old goats and desperately conspiratorial lovers. But these small houses in time were replaced by the giant "imperial" or "state" opera houses that are still standing, and the little drawing-room operas were shoved aside by 19th century grand opera.

Today, public fancy has turned to classical and pre-classical styles. Ever since World War II, the directors of Milan's huge (cap. 3,200) La Scala have tried to find a showcase for small-scale operas. First they bought property directly behind the stage, on the Via dei Filodrammatici (Street of the Amateur Actors), where once the carriages of the great prima donnas were parked. Plans were made to remodel a small apartment building into a tiny theater. Eventually, after five years of labor and some half a million dollars, La Piccola Scala (cap. 600) was finished, its stage nestled cosily against the stage wall of its big sister, its interior decorated in old gold, but with smooth, simple lines, without a trace of baroque.

Last week La Piccola Scala opened to an audience of Milan's biggest industrialists, severest critics, ranking socialites and reigning artists (including Soprano Maria

Meneghini CallasX The offering: Cima-rosa's charming // Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage), with such Scala names as Caro Badioli, Eugenia Ratti, Graziella Sciutti and Giulietta Simionato --all first-rate singers but not of world reputation. The opera has been performed scores of times at La Scala (last in 1948), but in the vast house it never came across with such gusto, immediacy or subtlety. The press was as happy as the audience, and only a few backstage complaints about the cramped space kept the accolade from being unanimous.

La Scala Manager Antonio Ghiringhelli expects to fill his new hall regularly, if only because there is a constant audience overflow from the old one. In addition to presenting chamber operas in the proper surroundings, he hopes to attract new and even experimental works by living composers. Already scheduled: Mozart's Cost fan Tutte, Scarlatti's Mitridate Eupatore, De Falla's Master Peter's Puppet-Show, Stravinsky's ballet, Apollon Musagetes.

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