Crash, bang, wallop! Opera, Milan style

In retrospect, perhaps they were tempting fate. Milan's new opera house had been finished on time and on budget and received flattering reviews from the world's Press for the opening night of the new season's La Traviata.

The La Scala company had decided to follow this with Excelsior, a little known 19th century ballet, celebrating Italy's technological triumphs through the ages. What could be more appropriate?

Then came last Wednesday. The new theatre is located on industrial wasteland six miles to the north-east of the old La Scala, but clever lighting makes it appear less like a large cinema or conference centre (two criticisms levelled at it) and more like a spaceship.

Inside, the auditorium is stunning: a floor of polished wood, bright-red velvet seats and stalls that stretch back to a circle and two dress circles. There are no boxes, part of the egalitarian spirit the theatre hopes to create, though judging by the elegant clothes of the theatre-goers, the Milanese aren't yet ready to dress down for an evening out.

The theatre also has 500 more seats than La Scala, making it the second largest opera house in Europe, and has state-of-the-art acoustics aided by 50 large frosted glass panels attached to the walls on either side. We didn't know there was a problem with one of them.

We were absorbed in a balletic reconstruction of how Italy had invented steam power and the telegraph. On stage, 30 athletic young women were dressed as bellboys, their bright red tops, red and black caps with pompoms and blue knee-length shorts, creating all the disturbance most of us needed. However, unknown to us, engineers were looking worriedly at one of the 441lbs, 12ft by 6ft glass panels, and at those sitting under it.

After the interval there was a disturbance behind us. Then the noise increased, the lights went on and we could see people moving quickly away from an area close to the wall. On stage 20 young children with blacked out faces and Afro wigs had been celebrating the arrival of Italian colonial forces in their country. Perhaps a member of the audience had taken issue. Then there was an almighty crash. The panel had fallen, slamming onto seats occupied only moments earlier. We looked up at the remaining 99 panels above our heads, and quickly left.

It was the end of the performance and the end of Milan's crowing at both Rome's delayed refurbishment of its opera house and Venice's La Fenice disaster. The next morning, the buck passing began. The theatre will reopen in days. But the confidence will take a little longer to return.

? Tom Otley flew to Milan with British Airways (0845 7733377), returns from £132.30. Mediterranean Experience (020 8445 6000) has two nights at the Four Seasons Hotel, Milan, for £795pp B&B, including flights.

Destination guide: Italy