Tonight, the Prima at La Scala, Milan.

Roses vendela

The smell of thousands of fresh flowers will be intoxicating, the effect stunning. The elegant and sophisticated audience that tonight will enter the Teatro alla Scala, Theatre alla Scala, in Milan, for the Prima, the night of the opera opening season, won't be disappointed. There will be:

3.000 roses - vendela, talea, peach and English sweet avalanche in cluster - with color gradations from ivory to pink and fuchsia; 500 pink camellias, 500 hydrangeas from greenish-pink to claret. In addition, there will be green amaranthus for the effect of graphic composition, eucaliptus berries and different greens of complement. And for the launch of flowers [the traditional flower shower during the curtain calls]: 3.000 carnations (tonality always from pink to claret). (1)

Floral decorations are an indispensable tradition of this special soirée, always held on 7th December, the feast of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan's Patron Saint, and they are created with passion and energy by the Associazione fioristi Milano e provincia, Florist Association of Milan, in coordination with the Theatre. On 5th and 6th December, dozens of florists work overnight in the theatre warehouse in Pero, a small town near Milan, to arrange thousands of flowers following a simple design drafted with coloured pencils. Beautiful and fragile, the decorations are brought to La Scala during the morning of 7th December. The style is elegant and modern, and softly harmonizes with the gilded stuccos, the neoclassical friezes and the crimson velvets of this famous opera house inaugurated in 1778. The design is inspired by the opera staged that, this year, is Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata. The melodrama in three acts, written by the popular italian composer in 1853, has been chosen to close the celebrations for the bi-centenary of Verdi's birth. Based on the novel La Dame aux Camélias by the French writer Alexandre Dumas, fils, the romantic and tragic story of the courtesan Violetta Valéry is one of the most popular successes of this composer who was strictly linked to La Scala.

Tonight, floral decorations will be concentrated in the foyer, the large marble entrance hall, and in the royal box, the central box where the most prestigious guests follow the opera.
For the royal box, flowers will be arranged in a festoon, a classical and ornamental shape that perfectly suits its dimensions and space. Decorations will be extended to the two lateral boxes to balance the ensemble and strengthen the visual impact of the central box. Colours will be used to give a modern touch, creating colour harmonies with intersecting masses of flowers. Scenery and lights are also important in the choice of colours: white flowers, for example, are visible in the dark even from far away. But, this year, the atmosphere will be dominated by pink, fuchsia and claret hues, those preferred for roses, camellias and hydrangeas. The different varieties of roses have been selected according to their colours, scentless and reliable flowers cultivated in greenhouses for this event, while camellias are the camellia japonica and hydrangeas are of the species macrophilla. For the decoration, flowers are inserted one by one in the floral foam after the glossy and green bay leaves, while various green material is added at the end to lighten the composition.
The foyer, where mirrors line the walls reflecting high columns and the lights of crystal chandeliers, will be decorated "with flowers with the same colours of the decoration of the royal box [...] with a sphere effect on raised glass and cascades of amaranthus." (2)

"At the end of the performance, a rose avalanche will be given to each women by the florists of Milan and province Confocommercio." (3) The perfect end for the Prima at La Scala.

Notes:

(1) From the official press release of the Associazione Fioristi di Milano e provincia: "Verranno utilizzate 3.000 rose – vendela, talea, peach e sweet avalanche inglesi a grappolo - con gradazione di colore dall’avorio al rosa fino al fucsia; 500 camelie rosa; 500 ortensie dal verde-rosato al bordeaux. Inoltre l’amaranthus verde per l’effetto di composizione grafica, più bacche di eucaliptus e vari verdi di complemento. E per il lancio dei fiori: 3.000 garofani (tonalità sempre dal rosa al bordeaux).”

(2) From the official press release of the Associazione Fioristi di Milano e provincia: "...con fiori degli stessi toni di colore della decorazione del palco reale ... con un effetto sfera su alzate di vetro e cascate di amaranthus."

3) From the official press release of the Associazione Fioristi di Milano e provincia: "Al termine della rappresentazione teatrale verrà donata dai fioristi Milano e provincia Confcommercio una rosa avalanche ad ogni spettatrice."

Thank to Lucia Carbognin, President of the Associazione fioristi Milano e provincia, for her help.

Photos of previous years floral decorations are available at 'Gallerie Fotografiche - Teatro alla Scala' Associazione Fioristi. Here is the link for Floral Decorations 2012: http://www.associazionefioristimilano.it/file/galleria/28

Photos:
TravelinaGarden, except:
Rose vendela
http://www.tomco.cn/Flowers/rose-vendela--332.html
Red rose and hydrangea,  www.assesempione.info


Links:
Teatro alla Scala, Milan.
www.teatroallascala.org/en/

Associazione fioristi Milano e provincia
http://www.associazionefioristimilano.it