Sketch for the second curtain of the Teatro alla Scala

The painting by Angelo Monticelli (1778-1837) is a sketch in tempera on canvas of La Scala’s second curtain. It was created to replace the first one which was the work of Donnino Riccardi and by then completely worn out. The spectator sees it as a sort of calling card, on the left as they come through the door. The theme is mythological and features Apollo and the Muses.
In the archive there is also a colour engraving of the interior of the Theatre in which the curtain is clearly recognisable as the one in the sketch. The term “curtain” warrants a little further explanation. Today’s curtain is a simple red velvet fabric, but painted front-drops used to separate the stage
from the auditorium. They depicted mythological scenes inspired by literary works; and the painter would create a sketch to be approved by the director. The first curtains at La Scala were all inspired by a text by Giuseppe Parini. Here are the first lines from the text: Over a bright, hazy bank of clouds, which descend the canvas from right to left and cast a shadow over the right-hand side, we see a cart drawn by four light, spirited horses, upon which Apollo is seated, and who, resplendent in a bright glow, lights up the entire composition [...]”. Creating full-size sets therefore required the
painters themselves to bring the scenes to life. At the time, they were all painted and not constructed, as they are today. Other sketches can be seen in Room 7, amongst which is a work by Giuseppe Bertini and Raffaele Casnedi that stands out due to its exceptional size.
The curtains, just like the sets, were rolled up from the top onto long wooden poles. There was not enough room up there to raise them unfurled. Combined with the damage caused by smoke from the theatre’s lamps and the dust, rolling up the fabric led to its progressive deterioration. This meant it would need to be replaced, also because changes in fashion and tastes had to be taken into consideration. The god Apollo also appeared on the tympanum of La Scala’s façade. The Museum’s archive contains Giuseppe Franchi’s late-eighteenth-century sketch, which was partly modified when it was finally created in stucco.