The Accademia Teatro alla Scala, private foundation presided over by Pier Andrea Chevallard and managed by Luisa Vinci, has celebrated in 2011 its first decennial as private foundation and today it's an institution universally recognized as among the best its kind for the training in performing arts. A unique experience in Europe, through its four departments – Music, Ballet, Stage-workshops, Management – and a Didactical Area, it covers all of the professional profiles tied to musical theatre, availing itself with teachers who represent the finest experts from the Scala and pertinent fields. There are students from all over the world, ranging in age from 6 to 30, who every year work hard to embody excellence, not only in the artistic realm, but also in technical and managerial matters: opera singers, musicians, chorus singers, assistant conductors, piano coaches, dancers, set designers, costume technicians and designers, hair and makeup artists, lighting designers, carpenters, stage technicians, sound technicians, set photographers and managers. The Lyric Opera programme - founded in 1997 thanks to the initiative of Riccardo Muti, with Leyla Gencer (who passed away in 2008) as Artistic Director - is an excellence in the educational proposal of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala. The Academy’s mission is to embody the heritage of the glorious "Cadetti della Scala", founded by Arturo Toscanini in 1950. Thanks to the contributions of numerous internationally recognized artists, such as Renato Bruson and Luciana Serra, Luciana D'Intino and Juan Diego Florez (just for 1 masterclass), and opera coaches as Vincenzo Scalera and Umberto Finazzi, the Academy provides young singers with solid vocal and musical training for professional careers, improving participants’ technical and interpretative skills in a two-year course. Many former students are now admired in the major opera houses and theatres in Italy and abroad. On July 16, 2014, Opera enthusiasts will have the opportunity to experience the great recital by the performers from Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Hong Kong.