7-22 Dec 2005. Conducted by Daniel Harding, directed by Luc Bondy, with Steve Davislim, Monica Bacelli, Camilla Tilling, Emma Bell and Francesco Meli.

The Teatro alla Scala in Milan begins its season with Idomeneo by Mozart (7-22 Dec 2005). The choice of a work by Mozart as the opening performance marks the beginning of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the birth of the composer. After the controversial resignation of Riccardo Muti as musical director last season there seems to be a desire to start anew. This "new" Idomeneo (the "old" one was conducted by Muti a few years ago) clearly indicates a new line; a theatre open to new ideas, to new energy and above all to international stars. The first is Daniel Harding, a conductor who in the last 10 years (from his debut in 1994 when he was only 18) has made a successful international career. Discovered and supported by Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado, he debuted with Mozarts Don Giovanni in 1998 in Aix-en-Provence amazing everyone with his energy and technical preparation. After Don Giovanni came Cosi fan tutte and Il Ratto dalSseraglio. He conducted Idomeneo in Salzburg but only in concert form, and now he brings it to La Scala with director Luc Bondy, with whom he has collaborated in an interesting The Turn of the Screw by Britten in various European theatres, including Paris and London.