curtains up at

TEATRO ALLA SCALA, MILAN







LA SCALA 





IS BREATHTAKING!!

lots of great energy 


just sitting here taking it all in

came with three friends - 
ANN and LISA - old friends, 

and SYDNEY - new friend


took train and stayed the night at
THE WINDSOR HOTEL
walking distance to train station
which is very convenient






this is ANN

this is the LOBBY - SO ELEGANT

and this is SYDNEY

THE STUNNING HOUSE - THE BOX IN MIDDLE OF BACK BALCONY IS FOR ROYALTY

THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR ALL OF US

WE ARE ATTENDING THE 3:00 SUNDAY PERFORMANCE
OF

JEWELS
by
GEORGE  BALANCHINE

MUSIC BY
IGOR STRAVINSKI

ANOTHER GLANCE AROUND BEFORE THE LAST JEWEL - DIAMONDS

the only time we could take pictures - THE FOURTH CURTAIN CALL

LA SCALA, WHICH HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED, IS ITALY'S PREMIER THEATRE AND ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS IN THE WORLD.

built on the site of the 14th century churh of SANTA MARIA ALLA SCALA, this world famous theater was commissioned from piermarini by maria theresa of austria, following the fire that destroyed the old TEATRO REGIO DUALE

INAUGURATED IN 1778, IT BECAME A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE RULING CLASSES OF MILAN AND THEIR SERVANTS.

the roof was rebuilt after being destroyed in the bombing of 1943 and the theatre has been restructured and enlarged over the last decade.

IT HOSTS THE FINEST THEATRE PERFORMANES IN THE WORLD, AND TODAY PRESENTS A SEASON OF OPERA, BALLET AND CLASSICAL CONCERTS OF SUPREME EXCELLENCE.

THE UNASSUMING BUILDING THAT HAS HOUSED THE WORLD'S GREATEST OPERAS AND PERFORMANCES

HOLDS WONDERFUL ENERGY
most of attendees were tourists who were as excited as we four

the air was titillating the entire time

and our reward for sitting most quietly and politely at this MOST IMPRESSIVE, important theater. . . 

GELATO 

yogurt and black cherry

and strawberry and lemon



at a wonderful wonderful place run by a great couple who loved what they did - 

made gelato to make every customer want to come back for their gelato

even though there are 100's of others in the city!!!!!

and then walked back to the hotel 

past that daunting

cathedral . . . .



MILAN IS MEMORABLE!!!!!