Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabis is negotiating a partnership deal with Milan’s La Scala opera house based on the model France’s Louvre museum has with Abu Dhabi, according to media reports.

The kingdom’s culture minister prince Badr expressed his country’s interest to partner with La Scala Academy before the opening night of La Scala's 2018-19 season on 7 December, the Austrian chief executive and artistic director of La Scala Alexander Pereira told Italian newspaper La Stampa.

In November 2018, the prince held talks with his Italian counterpart Alberto Bonisoli in Petersburg over the potential partnership, Pereira added.

Under the proposed deal, Saudi Arabia will invest EUR 3 million ($3.39 million) annually over the next five years in La Scala as well as spending EUR 7 million ($7.91 million) for developing La Scala-managed music and dance conservatory in Riyadh, he added.

In addition, Saudi Arabia’s minister of culture might be a member of La Scala’s board, Pereira noted.

The deal is another step toward Saudi Vision 2030 which aims to improve the kingdom’s non-oil economy.