Santa Maria della Scala was a church dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the center of Milan. It was erected in Gothic style in the 14th century by Beatrice Regina della Scala, wife of the Lord of Milan Bernabò Visconti, and demolished in the 18th century to make way for a new theatre called Teatro alla Scala after her name.
La Scala (UK: /læ ˈskɑːlə/, US: /lɑː -/, Italian: [la ˈskaːla]; officially Teatro alla Scala [teˈaːtro alla ˈskaːla], lit. 'Theatre at the Scala') is a historic opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as il Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala (lit. 'the New Royal Ducal Theatre at the Scala', which previously was a church). The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.
Most of Italy's greatest operatic artists, and many of the finest singers from around the world, have appeared at La Scala. The theatre is regarded as being one of the leading opera and ballet theatres globally. It is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet, La Scala Theatre Orchestra, and the Filarmonica della Scala orchestra. The theatre also has an associate school, known as the La Scala Theatre Academy (Italian: Accademia Teatro alla Scala), which offers professional training in music, dance, stagecraft, and stage management.