1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. What's Up? Everyone? Welcome to This Day in 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: History Class, where we bring you a new tidbit from 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: history every day. Today is August three, nineteen. The day 5 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: was August three, seventy eight. The Teatra a la Scala, 6 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: also known as Las Scala, was inaugurated in Milan. La 7 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: Scala is one of the most prominent opera houses in 8 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: the world. Before Las Scala, there was the Royal Dutale Theater, 9 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: which was the place to go for opera in Milan. 10 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: But on February seventeen seventy six, the Royal Ducale was 11 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: destroyed in a fire, so a replacement needed to be built. 12 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: Empress Maria Teresa saw to the construction of a new theater. 13 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: Building expenses were covered by owners of the boxes at 14 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: the Ducale in exchange for renewed ownership of their private 15 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: boxes and possession of the land that was home to 16 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: the Church of Santa Maria a la Scala. Architect Giuseppe 17 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: Pierre Marini, who had worked on the Royal Palace of 18 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: Milan and other major projects, was commissioned to design the 19 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: new opera house. Santa Maria a la Scala was torn 20 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: down to build the Teatro Alla Scala, a name that 21 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: translates as theater at the Stairway. After two years of construction, 22 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: Las Scala opened on August three, seventy. The first opera 23 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: performed at La Scala was Antonio salieris l Ropa ricono 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: sua or Europa Revealed, with the libretto written by Mattia Vedazzi. 25 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: The opera house has a neo classical facade and its 26 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: interior is lavish. It has a horseshoe shaped auditorium and 27 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: it was originally designed with six tiers of boxes, though 28 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: many of these ornamented original boxes didn't survive past the 29 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: mid eighteen hundreds. Two side wings were added in eighteen 30 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: thirty and gas lights were installed in eighteen sixty that 31 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 1: were eventually replaced with electric lights. By the early eighteen hundreds, 32 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: the types of productions that were offered at La Scala 33 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: were shifting. Opera syria or opera with a serious theme 34 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: became more prominent, and choreographer Salvatory Vigano and dancer Carlo 35 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: Blassi helped establish the theater as a force in the 36 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: world of Valet. Over the years, La Scala has been 37 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: associated with a number of artists. Composers Gitano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, 38 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: Vincenzo Bellini, and Giacco Mopuccini produced work for La Scala. 39 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: Many works have premiered at La Scala, including Bellini's Il 40 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: Baratta in eight seven and verdes Oberto in eighteen thirty nine. 41 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: Artistic director Arthur Toscanini played a huge role in the 42 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: administration and direction of the theater. Las Scala has had 43 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: operational challenges. It was closed during World War One and 44 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: bombed during World War Two. It also had to close 45 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: in late two thousand one for major renovations and reopened 46 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: in two thousand four, but through management changes, the theater 47 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: remains open. Las Scala is associated with a ballet company, 48 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: ballet school, and singing school. I'm Eve, Jeff Coote, and 49 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: hopefully you know a little more about history today than 50 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: you did yesterday. If you'd like to learn more about 51 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: the Opera House, you can listen to the episode of 52 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: Stuff you missed in history class called the Las Scala 53 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: Opera House. If you feel like correcting my pronunciation or 54 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: my accent on anything that I've said in the show, 55 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: feel free to leave a very kind comment on Twitter, Instagram, 56 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: or Facebook at t d i h C podcast, thanks 57 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: again for listening and we'll see you tomorrow. For more 58 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, 59 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.