La Scala, one of the most iconic opera houses in the world, has a storied history that dates back to August 3, 1778, in Milan, Italy. Originally built on the site of the former Santa Maria della Scala church, it replaced the Teatro Regio Ducale, which had burned down. Over the centuries, La Scala has premiered some of the most famous operas, including Madame Butterfly, Aida, and Otello. • Did you know that back in the day, it took over 1,000 oil lamps to light the entire opera house? They even k