sentences:  Luciano Pavarotti held a similar opinion.The present theatre, the second with that name, opened on 25 May 1908, after twenty years under construction, and was inaugurated with "Aida" by the Italian company directed by Luigi Mancinelli and tenor Amedeo Bassi, soprano Lucia Crestani (as Aida).The second presentation was Thomas' "Hamlet" with the baritone Titta Ruffo During the inaugural season seventeen operas were performed with famous stars such as Ruffo, Feodor Chaliapin in Boito's "Mefistofele", Antonio Paoli in Verdi's "Otello".