In some ways, the translation of Goethe’s novel into music by Jules Massenet in 1887 represents an almost miraculous recreation of settings and atmospheres; it is also a formidable vehicle for showcasing the tenor’s art. Thus, it’s no surprise that the last performance of the opera at La Scala, in 1980, had Georges Prêtre on the podium and Alfredo Kraus on stage. The new La Scala production is an occasion for the house debuts of a conductor and a director among the most prominent on the European scene. Alain Altinoglu, Musical Director of the Monnaie of Brussels, is a regular guest of orchestras such as the Wiener and the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Concertgebouw, while Christof Loy’s intelligence, taste, and theatrical intuition have taken him to the world’s preeminent theatres and festivals, from Paris to London and Salzburg.