A Grand Encore

LUCA BRUNO/AP PHOTO

OVATION: Artists acknowledge the applause of the audience at the end of Antonio Salieri's Europa Riconosciuta, at Milan's La Scala theater.

The Teatro alla Scala's sparkling inauguration in Milan on Dec. 7 was a triumphant return to form. Italy 's bel mondo turned out to see maestro Riccardo Muti conduct Italian composer Antonio Salieri's Europa Riconosciuta (Europa Revealed) — which hadn't been performed since its original production for La Scala's inauguration in 1778. If you didn't manage to snag a 32,000 super-prima ticket, there are repeat performances until mid-January. But it was the renovated theater, restored to its 18th century magnificence and technologically catapulted into the 21st century after $81.3 million and 30 months, that received the biggest raves....

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