BAM Park in Milan Launches Cultural Program with La Scala Concert

The Biblioteca degli Alberi (BAM) park in Milan, adjacent to the Bosco Verticale, has inaugurated a new cultural program managed by Fondazione Riccardo Catella under a public-private partnership with the Comune di Milano. The official opening took place on Sunday, September 8, 2019, with a concert by the Filarmonica della Scala performing works by Rossini, Verdi, Mascagni, and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy among the trees—the orchestra's first open-air performance. The program, directed by Francesca Colombo, includes open-air culture (music, site-specific performances, poetry readings), wellness activities, and education (talks on innovation and sustainability, urban gardens, creative workshops). The park's name derives from a 2004 international competition won by Petra Blaisse of Inside Outside. Inspired by New York's High Line and Bryant Park, BAM aims to engage the community through a 'BAM Friends' membership program, currently with 150 members. The Fondazione Catella, established in 2007, previously managed a small public garden for ten years. The Comune retains ownership, with a sponsor covering maintenance and security costs, while the foundation handles operations and cultural programming.