Teatro alla Scala

Built after the 1776 fire that destroyed Milan’s Teatro Regio Ducale, Teatro alla Scala was designed by Giuseppe Piermarini and inaugurated in 1778. Its plan is organized in three clear parts—foyer block, horseshoe auditorium with tiers of boxes, and stage—refined through a long season of opera‑house experimentation. The theatre became a benchmark for stagecraft, with extensive backstage workshops and complex technical machinery serving productions. A major renovation by Mario Botta (2002–2004) modernized the building and expanded backstage functions, sparking debate around the removal of earlier stage equipment.