Americans seem to think that the only really great operatic center of
Italy is Milan. This is doubtless due to the celebrity of the famous
opera house, La Scala, and to the fact that the great publishing house
of Ricordi is located there, but it is by no means indicative of the
true condition. The fact is that the appreciation of opera is often
greater outside of Milan than in the city. In Naples, Rome and Florence
opera is given on a grand scale, and many other Italian cities possess
fine theaters and fine operatic companies. The San Carlos Company, at
Naples, is usually exceptionally good, and the opera house itself is a
most excellent one. The greatest musical industry centers around Milan
owing, as we have said, to the publishing interests in that city. If an
Italian composer wants to produce one of his works he usually makes
arrangements with his publisher. This, of course, brings him at once to
Milan in most cases.