The words Milan and opera naturally go together, like peanut butter and jelly. Teatro alla Scala, known in the US simply as "La Scala," could easily be the most famous opera house in the world and the theater's musical tradition is beyond compare. Having hosted every famous opera star from Maria Callas to Luciano Pavarotti , La Scala has popularized opera-going even among the musically-unappreciative masses.

In recent years, however, La Scala seems to have faltered, allowing other theaters to rise in the ranks and leaving many to wonder, 'What's the next La Scala?' In 2005, La Scala's musical director, Riccardo Muti, quit amid a flurry of scandal and musical tension. La Scala opted not to replace Muti, instead installing Daniel Barenboim as guest conductor. Through no fault of Barenboim's, what followed were several years of lackluster programs -- good music, but lesser-known productions with some overly "innovative" operas and very few blockbusters.

In the interim, theaters like Rome's Teatro dell'Opera benefited from the dimming of La Scala's star power. Teatro dell'Opera may not have the glamor of La Scala's theater, but multiple venues at the Teatro Nazionale, Teatro Costanzi and the ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla allowed for a packed season with lots of favorites and plenty of room to experiment. In December 2008, Teatro dell'Opera went on the offensive by closing their season with Muti's Otello on the same night that La Scala opened their season, the world famous tradition known to opera lovers as La Prima.

Now in the aftermath of the worst global economic situation since the 1930s, Teatro dell'Opera faces financial difficulties and La Scala seems poised for a comeback with an ambitious program filled with both risks and sure-bets.

On December 7, La Scala opened its season with an innovative Carmen -- a production directed by movie director Emma Dante, who has never actually directed an opera before! Dante says her interpretation of Carmen will center on a woman who is "pure like a nun" but "aggressive like an animal." Certainly a first! Performances are scheduled until December 23rd and from October 29 to November 18, 2010.

While Dante may be an opera-virgin, the rest of La Scala's program is not exactly short of stars. Placido Domingo will take the Milan stage not once but twice, appearing in a gala concert on December 9 to celebrate his 40th anniversary of collaboration with La Scala, and as the title character in Simon Boccanegra in April 2010. Meanwhile, Claudio Abbado returns after a 20-year absence, conducting Mahler's 8th on June 4 and 6, 2010. Abbado was wooed back after Milan's mayor promised to plant 90,000 trees in his honor!

La Scala is also taking on the ambitious Nibelungen Ring in collaboration with the Berlin State Opera, directed by Barenboim. Das Reingold will start on May 13, 2010, Die Walküre will open the 2010-11 season, Siegfried opens the 2012-13 season and Götterdämmerung will be performed in May 2013.

While La Scala's season promises to be interesting, don't take our word for it. Italy has excellent opera houses in almost every major city. Some of our favorites include Teatro Regio in Torino (a more modern theater that is under spectacularly creative artistic direction) and Teatro Comunale in Bologna (one of the oldest theaters in Italy). All of these cities, Milan, Torino, Bologna and even Rome, are within a few hours of each other by train, making for a neat and tidy opera-themed vacation, perfect for off-season travel.

Select Italy sells tickets to over 20 theaters throughout Italy including premier seating to La Scala. To see a full calendar of performances visit our Musical Events page.

Imagine no Vivaldi's Four Seasons, or Pachabel's Canon without the violin, or a stringless Mozart concerto. That is a world without Cremona. And any music lover's Italian vacation would be just as silent without a visit here. Cremona is a medieval jewel of a town in Northern Italy famed for its violin-making. The great masters Andrea Amati (who invented the modern violin in the 16th century), the Guarneri family and Antonio Stradivari (a.k.a. Stradivarius) were all born and learned their trade in Cremona. Today, their descendants are still hand-crafting string instruments with the same passion and the same methods.

Located just 60 miles from Milan, Cremona is an easy day-trip. The town itself is quaint with cobblestone streets and one of Italy's most beautiful squares, Piazza del Comune, the site of Cremona's frescoed Duomo and il Torrazzo, the incredibly tall brick bell tower that is the town's symbol. Music lovers will want to visit the Piazza Stradivari, dedicated to the master violin makers of the Stradivari family and home of the Consorzio Liutai. You can visit the Consortium to see their display of historic violins and instruments.

Other collections are on display at the Raccolta dei Violini in the Palazzo del Comune and Museo Stradivarius in the Museo Civico. If you're staying in Cremona, call ahead (0372-22138) and reserve a seat for Cremona's morning "concert" -- a daily bowing of the violins, meant to preserve the condition of the instrument. Cremona's violin making tradition is alive and well, with over 40 violin artisans in the city. You can make an appointment to visit a studio like Vittorio Villa's where you can learn about the ancient customs of instrument crafting.

Cremona also has a strong culinary tradition which features lots of filled pastas like tortelli in broth or marubuni, a pasta filled with braised meat. While in town, stop for a meal at La Sosta (Via Sicardo 9, tel. 0372-456656; closed Sunday evening and Monday), a casual restaurant near the bell tower that specializes in local Cremonese cuisine. A delicious (and portable) souvenir of your trip to Cremona is torrone, a candy made from egg whites, vanilla, honey, almonds and toasted hazelnuts.

Select Italy isn't just for the traveler. Our online store offers gift ideas for anyone who appreciates Italy or its charms. So whether your music-lover is Italy bound or arm-chair nestled, we've got some ideas for you in our musically themed gift guide.

For the serious opera-lover: Pick out a collection of opera guides to match your opera-lovers favorites. Opera Journey Classics include interpretation of the opera and full librettos.

For the novice: Hoping to inspire a love for classical music? Give a gift that will serve as a reference guide for the arm chair listener. DK's Guide to Classical Music provides descriptions of instruments, compositions and composer biographies as well as a history of music.

For the Entertainer: If the opera lover in your life loves to entertain, give a gift sure to win you an invitation to dinner. The Opera Lover's Cookbook and CD set provides not only recipes, but opera-themed menus, opera anecdotes and even music to accompany dinner.

For the Adventurous Musician: Give a gift of exploration to the music lover in your life with a collection of Italian music. Select Italy offers a wide array of CDs by Italian artists, ranging in genre from folk to classical music. Pick out a few to delight your musician.

Do you holiday shopping early! Select Italy is currently offering 50% off on everything in the online store. Take advantage of this special offer today!