Great masters and young musicians

When the curtains rise at La Scala on Wednesday, it will unveil not just a new season, but also a new future for MilanÕs famed opera house.

After 19 years under the iron baton of Riccardo Muti, the company will take its lead from the freshest face ever to have graced the podium for a first night, 30-year-old Daniel Harding.

By any standards the British conductor is quite young to make his debut at the house long ruled by the legendary Arturo Toscanini.

But the fact that he is stepping up on opening night - by far the most important date in MilanÕs social calendar - is a sign of radical change at the 18th century theatre.

ÒThis is it. WeÕre ready to begin a new chapter,Ó La ScalaÕs artistic director Stephane Lissner said, before a dress rehearsal of ÒIdomeneoÓ, the first of four Mozart operas La Scala is performing for the 250th anniversary of the composerÕs birth.

Lissner took over at La Scala in May after months of strikes forced out Muti and director Carlo Fontana and said he was stunned by how little of the 2005-06 season had been planned.

The French director quickly called on all his contacts to start filling the gaps, throwing open La ScalaÕs hallowed doors to many of the young musicians he helped launch as the head of the Aix-en-Provence festival.

As well as Harding, four of WednesdayÕs six lead soloists are also making their debut. Later in the season, MozartÕs ÒDon GiovanniÓ will prowl onto the stage under the baton of 24-year-old Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

ÒI want to put together great masters and young musicians. They should meet and feed off each other,Ó Lissner said. ÒI donÕt care about the politics of it all,Ó he added. ÒAll I care about is having the right man on the podium.Ó