La Scala performers and workers call for Gaza cease-fire before opera-ballet set in conflict

La Scala’s dance company and the orchestra stand on stage before the final performance of the opera-ballet “Madina” beneath a banner reading: “Ceasefire” in Milan, Italy, Saturday, March 9, 2024. The sentiment received a standing ovation lasting at least two minutes Saturday evening before the final performance of the opera house’s original production “Madina,” which tells the story of a Chechen woman who is manipulated to become a suicide bomber after she is orphaned and raped by Russian soldiers. (AP Photo/Colleen Barry)