Italian luxury brand Tod’s has come to the table with yet another offer to save a national cultural landmark. The famous shoemaker recently pledged 25 million euro to restore the Colosseum, and is now promising an additional 8 million euro to save the La Scala opera house.
Tod’s chief executive Diego della Valle said that he hoped other private businesses would soon follow suit to fund heritage sites that are suffering due to budget cuts.
Milan’s La Scala opera house is world renowned, but has been unable to meet financial obligations even while attracting over half a million visitors a year. The cultural institution has increasingly relied on private donors to fund its performances, rather than on grants from the Italian government.
Della Valle explained that it was the duty of private business that benefit from Italy’s vast cultural heritage to step in during this time of need.
