La Scala, Opera house in central Milan, Italy
La Scala is an opera house in central Milan with 2030 seats, spread across seven floors. The auditorium is known for its acoustics and shows a neoclassical interior with gilded boxes and red velvet.
Giuseppe Piermarini designed the building, which opened on August 3, 1778, with Salieri's Europa riconosciuta. It was built after a fire destroyed the previous theater and rose on the grounds of a medieval church.
The name recalls the church of Santa Maria della Scala that once occupied this site. Opera experts gather in the upper gallery and openly react to what they see on stage, cheering or disapproving.
The season opens every year on December 7, the feast day of Saint Ambrose, the city's patron. Performances traditionally end before midnight, and tickets can be purchased at the theater box office.
The theater runs its own academy that trains singers, musicians, and dancers. Many former students have later performed on international stages.
Location: Milan
Inception: August 3, 1778
Architects: Giuseppe Piermarini, Alessandro Sanquirico, Luigi Lorenzo Secchi, Mario Botta
Official opening: August 3, 1778
Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture in Milan
Capacity: 1827
Floors above the ground: 12
Floors below the ground: 4
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Address: V. Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Website: https://teatroallascala.org/en
GPS coordinates: 45.46750,9.18917
Latest update: December 15, 2025 09:11
Milan draws together art and architecture from different periods into a single city. The Duomo cathedral dominates the skyline with its intricate design, while La Scala theatre stands as the center of opera culture. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shows 19th-century craftsmanship and merges...
Milan offers visitors a mix of historical landmarks and modern spaces. The city is home to Gothic cathedrals like the Duomo, grand galleries for shopping and art, and important museums. You can walk through ancient churches, explore art collections in palaces, or stroll through parks. The buildings...
The large opera halls of the nineteenth century tell the story of classical music through their walls. Built in the most important cities in the world, these buildings show many styles: some have simple neoclassical shapes, others have the decoration of neo-baroque, and a few embrace modern...
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