Timeline August 1778

Events in August 1778 4

• 1778 La Scala Opera House Opens in Milan One of the world's most famous opera houses debuts The Teatro alla Scala opened in Milan with a performance of Antonio Salieri's opera Europa riconosciuta. It was built to replace a theater destroyed by fire and became one of the most prestigious opera venues in the world. It remains a centre of Italian musical life today.
• 1778 – 1842 Bernardo O'Higgins (1778-1842) Died 24 October 1842, aged 64 Bernardo O'Higgins led the fight for Chilean independence alongside José de San Martín. He served as Supreme Director of Chile from 1817 to 1823. He died in exile in Lima and is honoured as one of the founding fathers of Chile.
• 1778 Siege of Pondicherry British forces capture France's main Indian colony British troops besieged and captured Pondicherry, the principal French settlement in India, after France entered the American Revolutionary War. The siege extended the Anglo-French conflict into South Asia. Pondicherry was returned to France after the war.
• 1778 Battle of Rhode Island Franco-American assault on British-held Newport fails American and French forces attempted a combined assault on the British garrison at Newport, Rhode Island, but a storm scattered the French fleet and the operation collapsed. The battle was the first joint operation between American and French forces in the war. British troops held Newport for another year.