La Scala Opens Season with Shostakovich's 'Lady Macbeth' Amid Political Tensions
Milan's Teatro alla Scala opened its season with Dmitry Shostakovich's 'Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk,' receiving a 12-minute standing ovation. The opera, set in Stalin's Soviet Union, was blacklisted in 1936. The performance, directed by Vasily Barkhatov, featured U.S. soprano Sara Jakubiak. The event drew a flash mob advocating for peace, highlighting ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Despite protests, La Scala's management defended the choice, emphasizing the separation of art from politics. 
