June 25, 2008 (LPAC)--At his May 28 Milan press conference to announce the 2008-09 opera season, La Scala's director Stephane Lissner announced the opera house has commissioned an opera based on Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth" set to music by Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli, reported Paris' daily Le Monde on June 3. According to Lissner, former Italian Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli had asked him to reflect on something exceptional for the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Italian unity. Lissner claimed that he sees global warming as a federating theme above ideological divisions. It has been announced that Gianandrea Noseda will be the orchestra conductor but so far no librettist has been chosen.

Even the Wall Street Journal had the sense to headline its coverage "The Fat Man Sings."