MILAN, ITALY.- External view of the opera house La Scala in Milan, 19 Novembre 2004. After three years of renovation, the 18th century theater in the heart of Milan will reopen on 07 December 2004 with Antonio Salieri's 'Europa Riconosciuta' conducted by Riccardo Muti as La Scala's did for the first season in 1778.

After a 30 month overhaul, La Scala reopens with the same work it closed, conducted this time by the opera house's musical director, Riccardo Muti. Mario Botta designed the tubular structure and a multistoried fly tower. The budget for the revamp was $80.6 million.

Hugues Gall, former director of the Paris and Geneva operas, stated, `This theater had been wrecked, and the stage machinery dated back to (Fascist dictator Benito) Mussolini. When a great theater is renovated, two things must be preserved: acoustics, and the relationship between stage and audience. In this case, both have been.'