La Scala theatre was founded, under the auspices of the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, to replace the Royal Ducal Theatre, which was destroyed by fire on 26 February 1776 and had until then been the home of opera in Milan. Designed by the great neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, La Scala opened on 3 August 1778 with Antonio Salieri's opera L'Europa riconosciuta, to a libretto by Mattia Verazi. 

Today, the theatre is recognised as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world and is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala theatre Ballet and La Scala Theatre Orchestra.