In this photograph, Eisenstaedt strove to capture this opulence, the astounding scale of the theater, and the excitement of an opening night. The composition is dominated by the theater's interior--the impressive sweep of the tiered boxes, and the theater's vertical expanse. The photographer located his camera so as to capture a view that ranges from the main floor seats to the shaded loggione under the ceiling. This vertiginous height is complemented in this image by an indication of horizontal space, suggested by the diminishing scale of the sweeping colonnades and the figures they contain. This photograph was made in 1933 on the night of the gala premiere of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya at La Scala. That fact, however, is not as intriguing as the audience member who provides a point of access into Eisenstaedt's image. Dressed in lacey evening clothes, chatting with her companion, she faces the viewer. She is immaculately turned out and attractive but relatable, not too elegant. Her opera glasses and evening bag balance on the velvet balustrade before her, as she turns from the stage to face her hidden companion, who holds up an open program. Her expression is impossible to read; she may be deeply interested in gossip or enthralled by the romance of the opera. The photographer excites our speculation about her mysterious companion, their conversation and their relationship.

from Acton, A History of Photography at the University of Notre Dame: Twentieth Century (Notre Dame, 2019)