On March 5, 1876, the first issue of Corriere della Sera hit the newsstands. A century and a half later, the newspaper is celebrating where it was born: Milan.
The official anniversary events begin March 6 at Teatro alla Scala with “Corriere 150 Years. The Freedom of Ideas,” attended by President Sergio Mattarella. In the city’s iconic opera house, readings from historic articles will alternate with music by Bellini and Wagner performed by the La Scala Orchestra under Alexander Soddy.
Actors Cristiana Capotondi and Serena Rossi will give voice to landmark pieces from the paper’s archives, while former editor Ferruccio de Bortoli will present a preview of the documentary “150 Years of Corriere della Sera. The Story of Italy,” to be released in cinemas on March 7 with narration by Neri Marcorè. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala, La Scala superintendent Fortunato Ortombina, editor-in-chief Luciano Fontana and publisher Urbano Cairo are set to open the event.
The anniversary is not confined to a single evening. Throughout the year, the paper will publish facsimile editions of historic front pages, a 300-page commemorative volume distributed with the daily, and a range of podcasts, books and live events across Italy. A dedicated digital hub will host special features, streaming coverage and an original ten-part series retracing the newspaper’s evolution.
From print to digital, from a single newsroom to a multimedia platform with more than 750,000 digital subscribers, Corriere has changed format and ownership over 150 years. What editors say has remained constant is its editorial method: fact-checking, independence and a plurality of voices. The anniversary, they argue, is less a celebration of longevity than a reflection on the responsibility of chronicling a country still in motion.