Dfter the great success of the premiere, the second performance of A Lady Macbeth of the Mcesk district it turned into an evening of great tension. The opera was interrupted at the second intermission due to a sudden illness of the conductor of La Scala, Riccardo Chailly. Even before the start of the show, fears about his condition were circulating: the first act went smoothly, but the following interval was inexplicably prolonged. Upon returning to the hole, Chailly appeared tiredand as the minutes passed his discomfort became evident. Despite everything, the maestro chose to continue until the end of the second act, when tiredness forced him to stop. Ambulance and medical vehicle they intervened quickly, transferring him to hospital for checks.
Riccardo Chailly’s condition after his illness
The master spent the night under observation at the Monzino Cardiology Center. His wife, Gabriella, reassured the orchestra members with a message confirming that the clinical values are good and that the therapy will be updated in the next few hours. Chailly has long lived with a monitored cardiac pathologywhich in the past had already forced him to give up commitments: the Philharmonic tour last February and the inaugural concert of the Lucerne Festival in 2023.
The affection of the audience and the applause
When he left the hall, the master was greeted by a long round of applause from the loggerheads. Testimonies say that signs of fatigue had already appeared in the first act, so much so that some collaborators suggested he stop. But Chailly, determined, wanted to continue until it became clear that it was no longer possible. The interruption was communicated Paolo Gavazzeniartistic coordinator of La Scala, who explained the choice from the stage, recalling the complexity of the opera and the need to act «out of respect for master Chailly».
A complex work, an important physical test
Composed of a Twenty-four year old Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth retains a surprising relevance. The La Scala orchestra, which has been tackling the Russian repertoire with Chailly for years, worked intensely on the many technical difficulties of the score. The master himself had defined the production «to the limit of executable», both for its length and for the physical effort required of the orchestra and singers. During the premiere on December 7th everything worked perfectly, closing with over eleven minutes of applause. For Chailly, bringing this work back to the billboard was not an act of courage, but a dutiful gesture towards a title marked by Stalin’s censorship in 1936. However, it is clear that the complex preparation and stress of the season opening had any weight.
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