MILAN (AP) — Woody Allen says he has "always had a warm and affectionate following in Europe," as he prepares to make his La Scala debut directing Puccini's comic one-act opera 'Gianni Schicchi.'

Allen was greeted with applause as he arrived at a press conference Tuesday ahead of the weekend premiere.

While the prolific 83-year-old director has been shunned by a growing segment of the Hollywood film industry, his acceptance in Europe appears largely untouched by allegations of misconduct that have been revisited in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

In the U.S., Amazon Studios has terminated an agreement to distribute his latest film, 'A Rainy Day in New York,' which will be released in the fall in Italy and Spain.

Allen says his work "resonates with Europeans."