Around the World: Italy

Asbestos shuts opera house

Milan's La Scala has closed the uppermost seating gallery in the storied opera house while work is carried out to remove asbestos discovered months earlier, theater and city officials said yesterday.

The opera house said some 270 seats in the top loggia will be closed and ticketholders offered "upgrades" to better seats when available or their money back. The work is expected to be finished by the end of October.