The Grand Hotel et de Milan has been woven into the cultural history of Milan since its opening on May 23, 1863. Since La Scala is only 674 steps from the hotel, it became home to many of the greatest artists who ever performed on this famous stage. Verdi, Caruso, Callas, and Nureyev returned here again and again. Being the first hotel in Milan with postal and telegraph services, it also served as a meeting center for diplomats and businessmen.

1800s: The great opera composer Giuseppe Verdi made the hotel his home for 27 years. When the premiere of Maestro’s "Otello" took place on February 5, 1887, the streets filled with his famous arias from "La Traviata," "Nabucco," and "Rigoletto." Afterward, an enthusiastic crowd shouting “Long live VERDI” unhitched the horses and brought his carriage to our doorstep. They continued applauding until the Maestro finally appeared on his balcony together with the tenor Tamagno, who performed an encore, driving the crowd wild.

Just as many people waited at the Grand Hotel when Verdi was seriously ill. The frantic Milanese asked the hotel director to post medical bulletins in the lobby. Straw was scattered on Via Manzoni to muffle the noise made by carriages and horses so as not to disturb the Maestro lying in bed. The hotel is sometimes called the "House of Verdi," and there still exists a suite of rooms where the great Italian maestro lived and composed.

On April 30, 1888, the Emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro II of Braganza and Empress Teresa Cristina of Bourbon stayed at the hotel during a historic visit. A statue in the lobby commemorates the adoption of Brazil’s anti-slavery law, which he organized during his stay.

1920s: Love letters from Tamara de Lempicka were written at the Grand Hotel et de Milan. One of the most unusual guests was Tamara de Lempicka, the “femme fatale” and outstanding representative of 1920s Art Deco.

The beautiful Polish artist was invited to the hotel by the writer Gabriele D’Annunzio, for whom the hotel was his Milanese home. He fell in love with the artist and wanted her to paint his portrait at Vittoriale. Some letters, evidencing the intense correspondence between Tamara and Gabriele, are preserved in the apartment dedicated to her memory.

In 1931, the Grand Hotel de Milan was completely renovated with the introduction of modern bathrooms, plumbing, and telephones in every room. During further renovations in 1993, part of Milan’s defensive wall, built by Emperor Maximian in 250 AD, was discovered. The charming ruins can be seen in Don Carlos’s wine cellars.

1950s: Maria Meneghini Callas was a regular guest at the Grand Hotel et de Milan from 1950 to 1952 for performances such as "Aida," "Sicilian Vespers," "Il Trovatore," "Norma," "Macbeth," and "La Gioconda" at La Scala theater. She and Meneghini, her first husband, could argue for hours at the reception in front of their open safe over which jewels to wear. In February 1953, she moved to her new villa in Milan but returned to the Grand Hotel et de Milan to meet Luchino Visconti, another frequent hotel visitor, in 1955.

1970s: The first Gianfranco Ferré fashion show took place here. The early 1970s marked a boom in Italian prêt-à-porter. On this occasion, the hotel officially opened to the fashion world. Ferré and his producer Mattioli used the hotel for their first runway show.

1974: Vittorio De Sica was another regular guest. In 1974, for the filming of his movie “Il Viaggio” (starring Richard Burton and Sophia Loren), he used the bedroom and living room of the Verdi apartments as sets. Richard Burton and the young Annabella Incontrera also stayed at the hotel. The famous American actor became a regular at the bar, where he was often seen sipping a shot of vodka.

Sources:

https://www.thehoteltrotter.com/staying-at-the-iconic-grand-hotel-et-de-milan-milan/

https://www.grandhoteletdemilan.it/en/history.html