La Scala in New York

La Scala Theatre and the New York Historical Society – symbolic places where culture and art intersect – come together to promote opera and all theatre arts for young people. On November 1, the New York museum will host the third edition of the annual “For the Young By the Young” benefit, an exclusive fundraising event organized by the Teatro alla Scala Association of America (TASAA), a non-profit organization founded in June 2023 with the aim of supporting young artists from the La Scala Academy, as well as new opera and ballet productions featuring young performers and those specifically designed for children. Their aim is to ensure that the theatre's immense musical and cultural heritage becomes a legacy for future generations. This complex and fascinating project is led by Milena Adamian Sheynkman, President of the association and its tireless leader.

"When my husband, who was born into a family of professional musicians, and I moved to Milan from New York, our first thought was of La Scala. A place that has always been dear to us, a temple where great music has been born over the centuries. I thought of Bellini and Verdi, my great passions, which I identify with two monumental works, Norma and Nabucco; the stage where exceptional artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, to whom I have always been attached, have performed.

We asked ourselves: how can we transform our deep love for this institution into a real gift? How can we do something that goes beyond a monetary donation or a bequest after our passing? The answer was to raise funds from private individuals, as has always been done in the United States, but with a specific project and purpose, to support opera productions by young people, their training, and the growth and development of future audiences.

GB That's how the Teatro alla Scala Association of America (TASAA) was born.

MAS We thought of an approach that I call “active philanthropy.” I discussed it with the then Superintendent Dominique Meyer. He was enthusiastic about my idea of using the American model of private fundraising, going beyond fundraising for its own sake. I knew that interest and willingness already existed in the United States. Together with Francesca Agus, head of the theatre's marketing department, we began to lay the foundations. My goal was to create a real community capable of bringing together different generations. To involve all these enthusiasts from overseas, making them feel part of a universe. A magical world represented by the stage of La Scala, where anything can happen.

GB A sacred passion for art and music are part of your life. However, your background is not actually in the arts. You worked in healthcare for 20 years, working in cardiology, and hold a master’s degree in clinical research/biostatistics from Columbia University, not to mention a solid background in start-ups and entrepreneurship in various sectors.

MAS My work in the medical business sector and music work perfectly together. This project proves this. My experience in both the public and private markets immediately offered the most effective solutions for this active philanthropy project. After all, what could be healthier than music, which is medicine for the soul? It should be nurtured and protected, like our bodies. It is essential support.

GB This third edition of the Benefit Gala marks a turning point compared to previous editions, starting with the venue. There has been a significant “change of address.”

MAS The first two editions were also held in New York, but at Casa Cipriani Downtown in the heart of the Financial District. We chose it with Superintendent Meyer as a setting that is strongly linked to Italian culture. But we also wanted to gauge the response from the New York public. The Big Apple has a long tradition of evenings like this. La Scala is certainly a symbol, and in the United States it is regarded as legendary. However, it was still a debut. But it was an immediate success. What thrilled participants was not only being in direct contact with the artists, but also understanding what happens behind the curtain before going on stage. How a show is created. For example, last year's ballet masterclass led by Manuel Legris, then Director of La Scala's Corps de Ballet, thrilled the audience. Now the baton passes to the New York Historical Society, an American icon.

GB Why is it such a special place?

MAS La Scala is the guardian of a centuries-old artistic tradition. It was inaugurated in 1778. Almost immediately afterwards, in 1804, the New York Historical Society was founded. Its museum spaces bring together four centuries of American history. It is the perfect medium for telling the world the story of this nation, but also the profound cultural and social changes that have since affected the world. It is a place of culture that overlooks Central Park West and is not far from the most prestigious museums. It also has the unique feature of housing a real auditorium. It's the perfect place.

GB Auditorium meaning stage. What will happen there?

MAS The direct relationship with the artists and the involvement of the audience will be even stronger. The spotlight will be on the conductor, his relationship with the score, but also the complex balance that must be found with the musicians in the pit, the cast, and the director. It's a journey of discovery into this multifaceted universe. The protagonist will be Daniele Rustioni's brilliant baton at the centre of a talk led by Paolo Gavazzeni, the coordinator of La Scala's Artistic Direction, with first an interview and then a masterclass with singers accompanied by piano. The evening will close with another eagerly awaited encounter, this time with Fortunato Ortombina, La Scala's Superintendent. The infectious passion of his voice and culture will introduce the new season to the American public.

GB The enthusiasm with which you describe this event conveys the profound satisfaction of having already achieved an incredible first goal.

MAS In two years, we achieved 80 supporters. We started with five. Among them, I would like to mention our first honorary member, who sadly passed away recently: Giorgio Armani. He believed in the project right away. He was a unique reference point for fashion and Italian style. From the very beginning, he shared this uniqueness with La Scala. Furthermore, the number of participants in the Gala has doubled since the first edition. This year, there are already almost 200 participants. Among them are many young people, united by an enormous enthusiasm for music. The same, I would say, as the audience of Bernstein's famous Lectures with Orchestra.

GB Are you referring to the now legendary Young People's Concerts held by Lenny Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra to introduce young people to classical music?

MAS Do you remember them? They were wonderful. That's the spirit behind our project. Communicate, communicate, inspire, inspire. The data speaks for itself. In recent years, La Scala has managed to attract an audience under the age of 35 that accounts for 35% of the total number of spectators each season. This might seem like an achievement. Instead, we see it as a starting point to go even further.

GB The enthusiasm he seeks to convey can be heard in his voice. And you can sense that it has deep roots.

MAS When I lived with my family in Yerevan, Armenia, for two years in the 1990s, music was my salvation. I can't think of any other way to put it. In a tormented country, we were trying to survive. Art and culture, as I said, are nourishment for the soul. One evening, I went to a symphony concert. On the podium was Loris Tjeknavorian, a leading figure in the international music world and also a reference point in Iran. That concert was a salve for the soul. It gave me strength and energy. An indelible memory. A kind of love at first sight.

GB Have you since experienced similarly intense feelings?

MAS Years later, when I saw Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Loris' son, conducting. He is a great violinist and now musical director of the Milan Symphony Orchestra. The first time we met, it was like going back in time and reliving those emotions again. This is what I would like to convey to young people, and to everyone in fact, through the work of TASAA. Every season in September, we support an opera production in Milan, starring the young people from the Academy. In 2024, it was Rota's Il cappello di paglia di Firenze, while this year it is Rossini's La Cenerentola. We then try to put on ‘micro-productions’ of operas designed specifically for a very young audience aged between 5 and 14. They are created in Milan but can then be performed anywhere, in Texas or Ohio, precisely because of their structure. On the one hand, we offer young artists the opportunity to try their hand on stage, and on the other, we want to capture the audience of tomorrow. Just as Bernstein did with his exciting concerts.

Gian Luca Bauzano
A journalist and writer, Gian Luca is a contributor to the Corriere della Sera and its weekly magazine 7, an expert in music and entertainment, lifestyle, and fashion. He has also curated international exhibitions on these topics