A weekend in Milan

We flew from Spain, coming to Milan at the tale-end of a week of business, for a long weekend of pleasure and indulgence (not enough time to go to the nearby celebrated lakes though, but nonetheless...!)

We stayed at the Grand Hotel et de Milan (was that a typo – “et” de Milan?), one of these classic hotels close to the center of the city. This one is reputed as a hotel favored by lovers of opera, composers like Verdi in the 19th century, or singers like Calas in the 20th century or simply people like ourselves who come to Milan to hear beloved operas at the teatro della Scala nearby. It is an old fashioned place where you stay (and pay) for old-time sake!

Very well located as well for those who come to Milan for shopping, as it is on Via Manzoni, and right by Via Montenapoleone where all the well-established fashion houses of Italy have stores (home to Gucci's flagship store, along with Roberto Cavalli, D&G, Prada, Valentino and Versace; Giorgio Armani's superstore and his new hotel are at either end).

I started my time here by visiting the Necchi Villa, (above) a 15-minute walk from the hotel on Via Mozart. This is a very opulent residence (but not a castle!), built in the 1930’s for a rich industrialist family (the Necchi sewing machine), which has remained intact, well preserved with its original furniture and epoch furnishings and paintings. It confirms you in the view that there are more than massive apartment and business buildings along the streets of this city; it also affords you a glimpse of what life must have been for people with money decades ago. It is a house that is well featured in the recent film (2009) I am Love, a movie about a tragic love story, by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, with actress Tilda Swinton. When I knew that it was in Milan and open to the public, I had to see it!

We spent the first evening at La Scala,(above) to see Aïda, Verdi’s opera which premiered here, at this theatre, more than a hundred years ago (in 1872 to be exact). This was the “clou” of the visit – the reason of our being in Milan, with my brother, a life-long worshipper of opera – the culmination of his passion for this art! Not disappointed: a stellar, 4 hour-long, performance in an incredible setting, reminiscent of the golden years of opera. La Scala “breathes” opera – to be convinced, one simply has to visit the shop or/and the museum, both adjacent to the theatre. A night at La Scala, an experience not to be missed!

That is if you can obtain tickets – not easy (and not cheap!): I failed to secure them on line, even early on, and we finally obtained ours through the concierge of the hotel, who got them for us from a dealer at a high price. The hotel argued that we could have dinner after the opera at their “renowned” restaurant, Don Carlos; at midnight, after a very long day that started in the early morning hours far away in Sevilla? No thank you! They were kind enough to suggest the nearby Il Salumaio – we went back for lunch a couple of days later – for simple pasta before the opera...

One more reason to be here was to see firsthand the rendition of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, painted on the walls of a convent refectory, next to the church of Santa Maria della Grazie (worth a visit, by the way!), all realized thanks to the largesse of the “mécène” of the day, the duke Ludovico Sforza, known as “il Moro”, ruler of Milan at the end of the 16th century. I had seen replicas of the painting in London a few months before, at a special exhibition of the work of Da Vinci in Milan (he spent 24 years in that city) at the National Gallery, and I convinced myself then that I should see the original at the first occasion! Again, not easy to get tickets – I booked a 15-minute (that is all they will allow!) guided tour some 6 weeks before – but at least, unlike for Aïda at La Scala, they were sold at the marked price...

This is a remarkable painting that defines the art at the time, a touchstone of the Renaissance; remarkable also because it started fainting very shortly after its creation, thanks to the unproven technique that Leonardo used, to allow himself more time to paint and work at it. What you see is only, I imagine, a pale reflection of the original, with its now washed colors. There have been several (unfortunate) attempts to “restore” the painting, but what is there to be seen is the closest to the original, the fruit of 20 years of reparation at the end of the 20th century.(Had Leonardo painted the face of the Christ? This is a controversy that had currency in my brother’s circle – it was believed that Leonardo had not had the audacity to paint Jesus’ face, and had left the task to an assistant or a monk later on. The guide (very good) assured us that he had, and that it was inspired by the face of the duke, mixed (very much so!) with the more feminine traits of a woman!...)

One more reason to come to Milan is shopping! It’s a true emporium for whoever has a passion (and the money to go with!) for the creations of the various fashion houses of the country – Prada, Armani, Versace, Ermenegildo Zegna, Valentino, Gucci, (above: The Gucci Shop) etc, be it for designer clothes, shoes or handbags. It’s everywhere, but more particularly in the streets cluster that is known as the “Quadrilatero d’Oro” (the golden rectangle) which include Via Monzani, Via Montenapoleone, Via P Verri, Via della Spiga, etc... I spent some time for a shopping break at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – a place that could be considered perhaps as the ancestor of the shopping mall, but with much more class than the usual modern incarnation!

Built towards the end of the 19th century, this is very near to the Duomo, the fantastic pinkish marble cathedral – one of the largest temples in the world (the third largest in Europe, they say, after St-Peter's in Rome...and the cathedral in Sevilla! see previous entry) – constructed over several centuries and that constitutes the central attraction of Milan – do visit: see not only the interior and the exterior, but explore also its roofs!

A great way to get an overall sense of this large city – close to 2 million people – is to take a less than 2-hour sightseeing bus tour – there is one service that starts in front of the formidable Castello Sforzesco – which helps one to get his or her bearings, and in “organizing” a short visit (what to see and where to go)...like a long week-end!

March 2012