The thirteenth edition of the Prove Aperte charity events organised by the Filarmonica della Scala in collaboration with its main partner UniCredit will be inaugurated on Sunday 17 March 2024 at 8.30 p.m. These events are the result of a mutual commitment to social responsibility, accessibility and inclusiveness. The opening night, by invitation only, is dedicated to the city. In agreement with the Municipality of Milan, a portion of the tickets is reserved for segments of the population who find it most difficult to access Milanese cultural life, as well as for charitable organisations. On the podium is Matthias Pintscher, one of the most interesting conductors of the new generation, accompanied by Ilya Gringolts, one of the greatest violin virtuosos, conducting a fascinating musical programme featuring Stravinsky's Le Chant du Rossignol, Mar'ehConcerto for violin and orchestra written by Pintscher himself, Masques et bergamasques, Suite for orchestra by Fauré and La Mer by Debussy.
This will be followed by four paid events, from 7 April to 3 November 2024, in support of four organisations that carry out projects aimed at combating educational inequalities: on Sunday 7 April 2024, there will be an open rehearsal conducted by Myung-Whun Chung in support of the Don Gino Rigoldi Foundation. The event on Sunday 12 May will feature the Philharmonic's principal conductor Riccardo Chailly and the young Alexander Malofeev on piano in support of the Mercurio Association.
The rehearsal on Sunday 6 October features Giovanni Sollima as conductor and solo cellist and raises funds for Children in Crisis Italy. The 2024 cycle closes with the rehearsal on Sunday 3 November with Fabio Luisi on the podium and Imogen Cooper at the piano in support of Comunità del Giambellino.
Since 2010, opening pre-concert rehearsals to the public has encouraged greater participation in cultural and musical life at a low cost. Through music, it has been possible over the years to raise and donate funds for the care of children and the elderly, the fight against poverty, assistance for people with disabilities, scientific research, young people and suburbs. This has been possible thanks to the generous participation of the orchestra's musicians, conductors and soloists, the collaboration between the Philharmonic, La Scala Theatre, the Municipality of Milan and the main partner UniCredit, and the support of the UniCredit Foundation, which identifies the beneficiary projects and contributes to covering the organisational costs. Since 2018, Esselunga has also joined in supporting the initiative.
To date, 49 organisations have been involved and 62 charity evenings have been organised, attended by over 118,000 spectators, raising a total of more than €1,500,000 for social causes. All proceeds from the evenings are donated to the beneficiary organisations.
The project is enriched by the Giro di Prova initiative, a series of chamber concerts with orchestra musicians that allows children and young people involved in the projects of the four beneficiary organisations to learn more about music. In the days leading up to each concert, a special lesson is reserved for them, in which groups of musicians from the Filarmonica della Scala, led by the orchestra's cellist and affable populariser Marcello Sirotti, guide them on a journey of discovery of the stories, composers, pieces and instruments featured in the programme, with live performances. The aim is to enable young audiences to enrich their knowledge and prepare for the next event at La Scala Theatre, which they can attend free of charge.