17 Nov 2004

More on the Reopening of La Fenice and La Scala

Opera house rises from the ashes -- again After fire and years of controversial renovations, Venice's La Fenice and Milan's La Scala raise the curtains By PAUL FRENCH Special to The Globe and Mail Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004 VENICE --...

Opera house rises from the ashes -- again

After fire and years of controversial renovations, Venice's La Fenice and Milan's La Scala raise the curtains

By PAUL FRENCH
Special to The Globe and Mail
Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004

VENICE -- Two of the greatest stages in Italy are reopening to opera-lovers after years of controversial renovations that sent those in search of this most Italian of art forms to a makeshift tent in Venice and to the dreary suburbs of Milan to get their fix. Now, the diva is ready to head downtown as Venice's La Fenice mounts its first performance in eight years and Milan's La Scala is set to unveil its new look in December.

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A general view of the La Scala opera house in Milan, November 10, 2004. The opera house will officially reopen on December 7 with a performance of Salieri's Europa Riconsciuta, the first opera staged at La Scala when it opened in 1778. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini