La pietra del paragone La pietra del paragone La pietra del paragone (The Touchstone) is an opera, or melodramma giocoso, in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, to an original Italian libretto by Luigi Romanelli. "La pietra del paragone" was first performed at La Scala, Milan, on 26 September 1812. It was the composer's first commission from a major opera house and was an instant success, being performed 53 times during its first season. Napoleon's Viceroy in Milan, Eugène de Beauharnais, was so impressed by the opera that he wrote to the Minister of the Interior, "You will kindly arrange for Maestro Joachin Rossini to
Santa Maria la Scala are a number of paintings from the school of Solimena. Next to the sacristy is an altarpiece depicting "St Matthew" by Antonio Pascucci. The canvases in the second and third chapels on the right, depicting Madonnas with "Saints Francis and John the Baptist", and with "Saints Anthony and Phillip" were painted by Nicola de Mattheis. The third chapel also has a canvas depicting the "Resurrection" by Paolillo, a pupil of Andrea di Salerno. The first chapel on the right has a St Anthony by the school of Massimo Stanzione. Santa Maria la Scala Santa Maria la Scala is a Baroque