Culture of Milan nevertheless it retained a sort of central position in cultural debates. New ideas and movements from other countries of Europe were accepted and discussed: thus Realism and Naturalism gave birth to an Italian movement, "Verismo". The greatest "verista" novelist, Giovanni Verga, was born in Sicily but wrote his most important books in Milan. Milan is a major nationwide and international centre of the performing arts, most notably opera. Milan is the location of "La Scala" opera house, one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, and throughout history has hosted the premieres of numerous operas, such as "Nabucco"
Cork Opera House it was not until 1963 that the Opera House was rebuilt fully and opened. In 2003, large scale renovation works were completed on both the facade of the building and the surrounding Emmett Place. Built, according to its original architect Sir John Benson, for the "promotion of science, literature and the fine arts, and the diffusion of architectural knowledge," the Opera House has always housed more than just Opera. Performances of all types are a part of its history and current repertoire. Emmett Place is linked to St Patrick's Street via Opera Lane, which replaced the former Faulkner's Lane, allowing