Editorial by Lia Natale goretti di paolo @lia.dipaolo
photos by Casey kelbaugh / cka & natasha moustache / cka
The Next Act: La Scala, Italian Heritage, and the Art of Keeping Tradition Alive
There is something about Italian culture that cannot quite be explained.
Our culture is rich and layered, shaped by centuries of ancient history, diversity, and countless traditions. It lives in the music we grow up hearing, the endless stories passed down at family tables, the language that somehow carries more emotion than words alone can express. It is in our nature to gather, to celebrate, to create something beautiful out of the ordinary. And perhaps most importantly, it is in the understanding that what we inherit is never entirely ours to keep. It is ours to carry forward.
On October 7, the Teatro alla Scala Association of America brought that spirit to New York City for its 2026 Annual Benefit Performance, The Next Act, held at The New York Historical. The evening celebrated the extraordinary artistic legacy of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala while looking toward the future of opera and the young artists who will shape its next chapter for the arts.
Established in 2023, the Teatro alla Scala Association of America works to strengthen the connection between La Scala and American audiences while supporting its artistic, educational, and outreach programs. Its mission goes beyond preserving a remarkable cultural institution. It is about supporting emerging artists, welcoming new audiences, and ensuring that Italian opera continues to have a place in the future. The evening’s theme, The Next Act, showed that preserving tradition does not mean repeating the past, but allowing it to evolve, reach new generations, and find meaning within our modern society.
Established in 2023, the Teatro alla Scala Association of America works to strengthen the connection between La Scala and American audiences while supporting its artistic, educational, and outreach programs. Its mission goes beyond preserving a remarkable cultural institution. It is about supporting emerging artists, welcoming new audiences, and ensuring that Italian opera continues to have a place in the future. The evening’s theme, The Next Act, showed that preserving tradition does not mean repeating the past, but allowing it to evolve, reach new generations, and find meaning within our modern society.
This year’s benefit also celebrated Arturo Toscanini, the legendary Italian conductor whose career helped strengthen the musical connection between Italy and the United States. Honoring his artistic and humanitarian legacy, the evening reflected how Italian artistry can cross borders while staying rooted in its identity.
There is something deeply meaningful about celebrating Italian excellence in New York, a city shaped by generations of Italian immigrants and their descendants. Our ancestors crossed an ocean in search of a better life (like so many others across the world).
There is something deeply meaningful about celebrating Italian excellence in New York, a city shaped by generations of Italian immigrants and their descendants. Our ancestors crossed an ocean in search of a better life (like so many others across the world).
And in a new and unfamiliar world, they still held tightly to their heritage, one of the few pieces of home they had left. For us, art is one of the deepest roots of our culture. It is how our ancestors expressed themselves and fought for their own liberties.It was this pursuit of identity that allowed art to flourish.
For those of us with Italian roots, pride in where we come from can feel almost instinctive. It lives in our surnames, our regions, our dialects, and even cuisine. But being Italian is more than the traditions we know by heart. It is a culture built through generations of art, music, craftsmanship, and creativity.
That is why supporting young artists matters so much. The Arturo Toscanini Scholarship and the Association’s work with younger audiences are not just about preserving the past. They give someone the chance to build a future in the arts. If we want these traditions to live on, we have to give the next generation a reason to care about them. Tradition only survives when someone is willing to carry it forward.
A performance in New York can lead someone back to Milan. A familiar melody can awaken a memory of a family member who is no longer with us. A cultural institution can make a young Italian American feel connected to a history they may know only through stories.
A performance in New York can lead someone back to Milan. A familiar melody can awaken a memory of a family member who is no longer with us. A cultural institution can make a young Italian American feel connected to a history they may know only through stories.
These connections are not insignificant.
They are how heritage remains alive.
