La Scala tickets are sold only through the theatre's official channels: its website, the box office at Largo Ghiringhelli 1 on Piazza della Scala in Milan (Monday to Saturday, 1 pm to 6 pm) and Vivaticket points. On performance days a last-minute queue offers limited-view balcony seats, normally at €10.
For winter 2026 the headline is Verdi's Otello, which opens the 2026/27 season on Monday 7 December. That night and every Otello date up to 19 December were sold out on 10 November, but 29 December, 2 January and 5 January were still on sale. Below: what is on until January, how the €10 queue works and where to stay, all checked on the theatre's pages on 10 November 2026.
How to buy La Scala tickets on official channels
From the square the theatre looks almost plain: a pale neoclassical front facing Palazzo Marino, Milan's city hall, with tram wires strung across the square. The red and gold is all inside, and so is the competition for seats.
Online, at the box office or at Vivaticket
You must register before buying, and every ticket is issued in the buyer's name. Someone else can use it only with your written proxy and ID copy (never for balcony seats).
There are purchase limits: up to six seats in the stalls (four on the first day of sale), six in boxes and two in the balconies. Tickets cannot be cancelled or swapped, and are refunded only if a performance is moved or cancelled.
Why third-party sites are a risk
Search results are full of resellers and tour sites. The theatre states that no other reseller is authorised and that tickets bought unofficially may be refused at the door.
If you cannot use a ticket, the official resale page is the only authorised route. It accepts single full-price tickets bought online, at the price you paid, up to 24 hours before the start; the seller is refunded by bank transfer minus a 10% fee.
Last-minute La Scala tickets: the €10 queue
Look up from the stalls and the horseshoe climbs in rows of small lamps to the galleries under the ceiling. That is where the cheapest seats are.
How the list works
For each performance the theatre releases limited-view balcony seats two hours before the start, normally at €10: about 140 for operas and 80 for other events. To get one you need a La Scala customer account and must put your name on the list three hours before curtain-up; each person on the list can buy one ticket. On opening night, 7 December, these seats cost €50.
Gallery ticket holders enter through the Theatre Museum entrance on Largo Ghiringhelli, not the main doors.
Under 36
The La Scala Under30/35 programme is for people up to 36. A pass costs €10 and gives access to offers starting at 35% off, plus Under30 previews. The Otello preview on 4 December was already sold out on 10 November.
What's on at La Scala, November 2026 to January 2027
Availability below is what the theatre's calendar showed on 10 November; "last seats" can sell out within days.
Ballet: Balanchine, Bausch, Stravinsky (to 21 November)
Balanchine's Apollo and Pina Bausch's The Rite of Spring, both to Stravinsky, conducted by Ido Arad. Most remaining dates showed last seats; 18 November was sold out.
Concerts
Riccardo Chailly conducts Bruckner's Ninth from 16 to 20 November, tenor Benjamin Bernheim sings on 22 November, and Myung-Whun Chung conducts the Christmas Concert on 20 December.
Otello, 7 December 2026 to 5 January 2027
Myung-Whun Chung conducts Verdi's Otello in a staging by Damiano Michieletto, with Brian Jagde, Eleonora Buratto and Luca Salsi from 7 to 22 December, and Arsen Soghomonyan, Roberta Mantegna and Roberto Frontali on 29 December, 2 and 5 January. The opening night starts at 6 pm, the others at 8 pm.
On 10 November, 7 to 19 December were sold out, 22 December showed last seats and the three later dates were on sale. For sold-out nights, the €10 queue (€50 on 7 December) and official resale are the realistic options.
The Nutcracker, 17 December 2026 to 16 January 2027
Rudolf Nureyev's Nutcracker, conducted by Andrea Quinn. The 17 and 18 December evenings and the 23 December matinee were sold out; seats were on sale for 30 December, 31 December (5 pm) and both shows on 3 and 10 January.
Before you go: dress code, timing and the museum
Each box hides behind red velvet drapes and a gilded parapet, with its own private cloakroom; stalls and galleries share two free ones.
The theatre's information pages set one clothing rule: people in shorts or sleeveless tops are not let into the auditorium, and their tickets are not refunded. Arrive at least 20 minutes early: shows start on time, and latecomers wait in the foyer until the first interval.
Italian and English surtitles are available for every opera, also on the free Libretto Scala app. Phones and cameras cannot be used in the auditorium.
The box office closes on 8, 24, 25 and 26 December and on 1 and 6 January. If you only want to see the hall, the Theatre Museum is open daily from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm (last entry 5 pm), with fixed-date tickets at €12 (€8 for students and over-65s); it is closed on 7, 25 and 26 December.
Where to stay for a night at La Scala
Evening shows start at 8 pm, so a hotel within walking distance makes the night easier. The historic centre around the Duomo, Brera and the Quadrilatero is a short walk from Piazza della Scala, and Duomo station on metro lines M1 and M3 is a short walk away.
Our selection of top hotels in Milan covers these districts, and the Milan City Guide explains neighbourhoods and transport. In December you can pair a performance with the Milan Christmas market in Piazza del Duomo, and our Milan weekend guide fills the daytime.
What La Scala's season means for hosts and local businesses
The season opening concentrates demand on one week. In 2026, Otello opens on Monday 7 December, Sant'Ambrogio, the feast of Milan's patron saint, and Tuesday 8 December is the national holiday of the Immacolata. With every Otello performance from 7 to 19 December sold out by 10 November, many guests arriving that week will not hold tickets.
Answer the ticket question before check-in
A short note in the welcome message saves time: official channels only, tickets in the buyer's name, the €10 list that opens three hours before curtain-up and needs a La Scala account, and the €50 price on 7 December. Remind guests that the box office is closed on 8 December and over Christmas.
Timing, luggage and late dinners
Most evening shows start at 8 pm and the opening night at 6 pm. Guests arriving on a show day will want early check-in or luggage storage. Restaurants near Piazza della Scala and Brera can expect requests for late tables on performance nights, and should say clearly online whether they take bookings after the show.
Tourist tax over the holidays
Every night in Milan carries the imposta di soggiorno, per person: since 1 April 2026 it ranges from €3 to €12 in hotels and is €9.50 in short lets and B&Bs, under rules written for 2026. Rates for 2027 had not been published as of 29 October, so stays crossing into January may be charged differently; see our guide to the Milan tourist tax. This is general information, not tax advice. For longer stays, Living in Milan covers districts and rents.
La Scala tickets: frequently asked questions
Where can I buy official La Scala tickets?
On teatroallascala.org, at the box office at Largo Ghiringhelli 1 (Monday to Saturday, 1 pm to 6 pm) or at Vivaticket points. The theatre says no other reseller is authorised.
How much are last-minute tickets at La Scala?
Limited-view balcony seats sold two hours before each show normally cost €10, and €50 on opening night. You must join the list three hours before with a La Scala account.
Can I still get tickets for Otello in 2026?
On 10 November, 7 to 19 December were sold out, 22 December had last seats, and 29 December, 2 January and 5 January were on sale.
Programmes can change: check the organiser's page before you go.
Official sources, checked on 10 November 2026: Teatro alla Scala, how to buy, box office guidelines, official ticket office and museum, La Scala Under30/35, sales opening calendar, 2026/27 season, 2025/26 season, Otello, Otello Under30 preview, The Nutcracker, Balanchine Bausch Stravinsky, information for the audience and City of Milan, tourist tax rates 2026.
Photo credits: cover, tiers of boxes and box detail by Dmitry Romanoff via Pexels; facade on Piazza della Scala by Damir Samatkulov via Unsplash; with light colour and detail finishing by Holiplanet.
