Scala di Milano

The “Teatro alla Scala” is not only the biggest but also the most famous of all theatres in Europe.

Innumerable highlights in the history of the European music have been played, sung, danced and conducted here. Commencing with the premières of Mozart and Verdi´s operas, as well as the performances by the divine Maria Callas and many of Schönberg´s productions and, not to forget, the ballet evenings with Stravinsky´s “Firebird”, La Scala has presented the world with everybody who is anybody, for more than 200 years.

The big opera house was founded in 1594 on initiation of the Spanish governor, Fernandez de Velasco. When it burned down in 1776, the generous donations by the empress, Maria Theresa of Austria, as well as those by the nobility of Milan, enabled a reopening as early as the 3rd of August 1778. It had been named after Regina della Scala, the founder of the Gothic church which had to be demolished in 1776 to make way for the extension of the theatre.

Between January 2002 and the end of 2004 La Scala was completely renovated for the total sum of 61 million Euro. The reopening was celebrated with the performance of Antonio Salieri´s “Rediscovery of Europe” on the 7th of December 2004.