Teatro alla Scala, Milan — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

La Scala is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, a temple of music where the greatest composers and performers have graced the stage since 1778. The theatre was designed by neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini and opened on August 3, 1778, after the previous Teatro Regio Ducale burned down. It was built on the site of the Church of Santa Maria alla Scala, which gave the theatre its name. The church itself was named after Beatrice Regina della Scala, a 14th-century noblewoman. La Scala has hosted world premieres by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi, the four great composers of Italian opera. Verdi's relationship with La Scala was particularly intense: "La Traviata" premiered here on March 6, 1853, and the audience booed. The work is now considered one of the greatest operas ever written. The theatre was severely damaged by Allied air raids on August 15-16, 1943. It was one of the first buildings in Milan to be rebuilt, reopening on May 11, 1946, with a concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini. The restoration symbolized Italy's cultural resilience. La Scala's season opens every year on December 7, the feast of Saint Ambrose, Milan's patron saint. It's the most important date in the Italian cultural calendar. The Museo Teatrale alla Scala, located nearby, displays costumes, set designs, and instruments from the theatre's history. If you're on a Questo quest through Milan, La Scala is a stop where 250 years of music history reverberate through every seat.