As it prepares to celebrate Verdi’s 200th birthday, La Scala opera house in Milan has announced it is being forced to reduce the number of operas it will produce next season thanks to the economic crisis and cuts to its public funding.

The theatre will kick off its 2013-14 season in December with a production of La Traviata to honour Italy’s greatest composer, Giuseppe Verdi, but will produce only 10 operas in total in the season, down from 13 this season.