Course for wig makers

HIGHLIGHTS

01.

LA SCALA

During the course the students actively participate in the Teatro alla Scala opera and ballet production process. They will be able to closely observe the teams working in the various departments (set makers, painters, sculptors, costume-makers, props) and all the steps in scenic design from the drawing table to the stage.

02.

PRACTICE

The students not only follow the set-ups in the scenography workshops of the Teatro alla Scala, but are instructed to devise and implement specific autonomous projects.

03.

ON THE JOB

A fundamental phase in the training process is the internship—300 hours for each year of the two-year program for a total of 600 hours—at the major performing arts venues in Italy and abroad. First and foremost among them is Teatro alla Scala, but other venues include the Teatro Real of Madrid, the Festival of Aix-en-Provence, the Teatro Antico of Syracuse, and the Teatro dell’Opera of Rome, not to mention workshops such as Giò Forma of Milan and Art for Art Theaterservice of Vienna.

04.

VERSATILITY

Painting, sculpture, thermoforming, tool development, costumes, techniques of coloring and decorating: scenographers are versatile professionals who are adept at every aspect of stage set development with mastery in the various traditional techniques and materials and the ability to use the new IT technologies, including 3D modeling and virtual reality.

05.

MATERIALS

Each student will receive protective clothing and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Teatro alla Scala workshops. All other course materials will be provided by the Academy.

04.

PROJECT WORKS

During the two-year course, specific projects are envisioned for opera and ballet productions but also for cinema and plays, with the objective of providing a broad overview of the different fields in which a set designer may work. Some of the projects involve only the concept phase, while others include production.

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RECAP 2023-25

Curricular units and teaching staff
- Workshop techniques (practical workshop exercises): scenic design, painting, sculpture, props. (Emanuela Finardi, Sergio Mariotti, Roberto Panza, Pietro Renga, Costanzo Zanzarella)
- Costume-making techniques (practical workshop exercises): fabric painting, fabric decoration, fabric dyeing and ageing, embroidery, jewelry creation (Clara Sarti)
- Lighting design (Angelo Linzalata)
- Scenic design (Stefania Cavallin)
- Stage costumes (Maria Chiara Donato)
- AutoCAD (Lorenzo Lento)
- Photoshop (Beatrice Laurora)
- Theory and technique of the video language (Vinicio Bordin)
- IT in set design (Gianluca Dentici)
- Videomapping (Mattia Diomedi)
- Introduction to musical theatre (Andrea Massimo Grassi)
- Music appreciation (Fabio Sartorelli)
- Workplace safety (Sergio Tasca)
- English (Polly James)
- Contract law (Piergiuseppe Sciotti)
- Self-entrepreneurship (Gianfranco Daniele)
- Teambuilding and training (Valeria Miglio)
- Career counseling (Sarah Dominique Orlandi and La Scala Academy staff).

This list may be subject to change.
Length and attendance
The course is spread over two years.
First year: october 16, 2023 to July 26, 2024.
Second year: september 2024 to July 31, 2025.
Curricular needs may require postponing the end of the course and the final exam to December 2025. The attendance is mandatory, from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
Admission requisites
- age between 18 and 28 years old;
- three-year university or academic degree;
- aptitude in set design and costume design;
- knowledge of set design, costume design, painting, and prop-making;
- knowledge of sculptural technique.
Scholarships and loan
Scholarships, tuition exemptions, student loans, and other forms of financial aid bring training of the highest artistic quality complemented by direct practical experience in the chosen field within the reach of all.

Scholarships. One or more scholarships covering all or a part of tuition are available to students who pass the selection process and request one. Students whose ISEE (Equivalent Financial Status Indicator) is 20,000 euros or less are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Application instructions will be provided at the end of the selections in a specific announcement.

Merit loans and student loans. Thanks to the collaboration of certain banks, Academy students in good standing may also benefit from other forms of financial aid to cover tuition or lodging costs.

For further information, please contact the teaching office:
segreteria.didattica@accademialascala.it
Admission process
Applicants must pass a three-phase selection process to be admitted to the course.
The applicant must pass each phase to be admitted to the following one:
- preselection consisting in the evaluation of two drawings created by the applicant (one illustrating a stage set, the other a costume chosen by the applicant from the opera or ballet repertoire). The drawings may be delivered to the Academy by mail, courier, or by hand;
- practical exam involving a drawing done at Academy facilities of a stage set, a costume, a sculpture, or a prop, to be chosen by the applicant;
- personal interview focusing on the applicant’s practical/work experience, motivations, aptitudes, and expectations. The practical selection process will take place on September 7, the interview on September 14, 2023.
Download here the selection program.
International students and italian residing abroad
Academic qualifications issued by a non-Italian institute must be submitted together with a certificate of legal recognition in Italy per Italian law.
Specifically:
- if the academic qualifications were earned in a European Union Member State, the certificate must be accompanied by a sworn translation (traduzione asseverata);
- if the academic qualifications were earned in a country outside of the European Union, the certificate must be accompanied by a certificate of equivalence of qualification issued by the Italian embassy in that country (dichiarazione di valore in loco).

In both cases, you must include an Italian translation of your CV.

Furthermore, per Italian law and the regulations of the Italian Public Security Agency, applicants residing outside of the European Union who have passed the selection process must submit, on or before the day that lessons begin, a temporary residence permit for purposes of study (permesso di soggiorno per motivo di studio) or an official receipt of application for the same.

You must apply within
July 10, 2023

Register or login to the Academy enrollment platform at iscrizioni.accademialascala.it.
Your email and the password you choose will become your login credentials [username and password] that can be used again for subsequent visits. You will also be asked to read the privacy notice.

APPLICATION:
After registering, enter the information requested for the specific applicant following the step-by-step. You will asked to download, sign, and attach the Terms & Conditions “Condizioni di contratto per la partecipazione". This step is necessary to proceed with the application process.

ATTACHEMENTS:
  • 1 passport-sized photo;
  • your full cv, signed as described into the announcement;
  • certification of studies (or self-declaration; please read the announcement);
  • your passport.

FEE:
You will be asked to pay the application fee of 85 € directly online via credit/debit card or credit transfer. The payment must be made online directly through the enrollment platform (do not close the page before paying).
A summary of entered data is generated at the end of the above steps: download it, sign it and attach it where required.
When uploaded, the application will be completed and it will be sent to the Students' Office. The following communications and steps are described into the announcement.

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Special thanks to:
Fondazione Banca Popolare di Milano