As part of the rich Italian cultural events program, the “Milan Creative City” week at World Expo 2010 Shanghai was held during 16th to 23rd June.

A series of art and fashion activities themed in Milan were launched during this week. The Commissioner General of Italian Expo 2010 Shanghai, Beniamino Quintieri, and Vice Consul of Consulate General of the Republic of Italy in Shanghai, Francesco Varriale presented the opening. In the section of art and fashion, Wu Promotion was honored to assist Italy Pavilion present two prestigious troupes, La Scala Chamber Orchestra and Piccolo Teatro di Milano.

As a leader in the international music scene for over two hundred years, the Teatro alla Scala is a universally recognized symbol of Milan. During 16th to 20th June, I Cameristi della Scala, the chamber orchestra which is composed of musicians of the Teatro alla Scala, led audiences through a fascinating musical journey that includes the best of Italian instrumental music from the 1700’s to the present day. The orchestra presented a total of 13 concerts; of which 10 are in various chamber ensembles, from duo to quintet and the other 3 are with the whole orchestra. On the opening night, on the 16th of June at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, the celebrated cellist and composer Giovanni Sollima threaded seemingly unapproachable soundscapes of classical music, pop, rock, ethnic, ancient and contemporary and guided the Scala group in an evening filled with emotion.  The second concert, held on the 17th of June at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, featured the soloists of I Cameristi della Scala, The third night, on the 20th of June at the Shanghai Drama Center, it performed a program that has generated great enthusiasm in audience and critics.

Piccolo Teatro di Milano comes to China this year for the 5th time to perform its classic comedy, Arlecchino, Servant of Two Masters (Harlequin, Servant of Two Masters). Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, this show was a challenge to the primarily ephemeral nature of theatre, without however being a museum piece. Piccolo Teatro also presented the co-production with the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author on the 17th, 18th and 19th of June. Pirandello is an acclaimed Italian author who won a Nobel Prize in 1934; His Six Characters in Search of an Author, allows the audience to attend a one day rehearsal of a fictional theater company, to show with great irony the different characters that are part of it. In the recent four years, Piccolo Teatro di Milano cooperates with Shanghai Theatre Academy launching drama together each year.

The Commission of Italy for World Expo 2010 provided the public the opportunity to apply for complimentary tickets to go to the performances of Piccolo Teatro di Milano and La Scala Chamber Orchestra. Wu Promotion helped to organize distribution of tickets to the public. We received more than 1,000 e-mail application for La Scala Chamber Orchestra concert and more than 500 application for the Piccolo Teatro di Milano show. When La Scala Chamber Orchestra performed in the concert hall of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, we were surprised to see there were still around 200 enthusiastic audiences waiting for extra tickets outside of the concert hall.

In the next four months, Wu Promotion will continue to assist Italy Pavilion present audiences with more fantastic performances.