
Brooklyn Academy of Music in Dialogue: past, present, and the pulse of tomorrow
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On June 25, 2025, the Sibiu International Performing Arts Market hosted a landmark moment in global cultural dialogue: the first-ever public conversation between Joseph V. Melillo and Amy Cassello, two visionary leaders of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Moderated by Cosmin Chivu, Associate Professor at the Sands College of Performing Arts in New York, the session delved into the evolution of one of America’s most iconic cultural institutions, tracing its journey from the experimental heights of the Next Wave Festival to the contemporary challenges and hopes shaping its future.
A dialogue between eras
Joseph V. Melillo, Artistic Director of BAM from 1983 to 2018, opened the conversation by retracing the institution’s transformation under his leadership and the foundational role played by his predecessor, Harvey Lichtenstein. From its origins as a postmodern dance hub, BAM rapidly evolved into a global platform for boundary-pushing performance, hosting international legends such as Peter Brook, Pina Bausch, Robert Wilson, and Lucinda Childs. Melillo emphasized the critical role of production teams and technical staff in creating a welcoming “BAMily” that inspired loyalty among world-class artists. “It’s not about the building,” he noted. “It’s about what happens inside the building and the people who make that possible.”
Amy Cassello, BAM’s current Artistic Director, reflected on inheriting that legacy during a period of institutional renewal, navigating a post-pandemic world and an increasingly complex cultural landscape. “BAM is what it always was. It’s an arts institution meant to bring people together and be in conversation with the artists and the issues of the day,” she said. Her tenure has been defined by a strategic focus on agility, community, and reimagined programming, leading to sold-out seasons and celebrated productions such as A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Rebecca Frecknell and The Seagull by an Argentinian company, performed entirely in Spanish. “Even if you didn’t understand the words,” she explained, “the emotion of the actors told the story. That’s what theater can do.”
Reimagining tradition in a changing world
The discussion explored how BAM remains committed to "adventurous programming" while adapting to new financial, social, and political realities. Among the key points discussed:
- Infrastructure & audience evolution: BAM’s architectural expansion, including the Howard Gilman Opera House, Harvey Theater, and Fisher Building has allowed the institution to accommodate diverse forms of art and emerging artists while responding to demographic shifts in Brooklyn.
- Pandemic and recovery: Cassello openly acknowledged the difficulties faced during COVID-19 and highlighted the importance of staying true to BAM’s values. “The audience didn’t just return after the pandemic. They craved being together,” she said. “We went back to our core values, which was excellent work, interesting work, challenging work, maybe with a greater sense of urgency because the world had changed.”
- Accessibility and equity: Despite rising operational costs, BAM maintains a strong commitment to affordability. “We always have USD 35 tickets for every show and they’re not always in the back row,” Cassello explained. “You have to have the USD 400 ticket buyer to help subsidize the USD 35 one. That’s the balancing act.”
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Cultural diplomacy: The challenges of securing international visas were addressed candidly. “Sometimes we have Chuck Schumer’s office on speed dial to make visas happen. That’s how serious we are,” Cassello shared. “BAM will continue to do international work. It’s more expensive but it’s non-negotiable.”
Programming as a statement
Cassello highlighted productions like Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists by Tiago Rodrigues as emblematic of BAM’s current curatorial stance: emotionally powerful works that provoke civic reflection while avoiding polemical overreach. “Art is an act of faith,” she reflected. “It’s messy. It’s necessary. And it keeps us alive.”
Melillo reflected on his most defining achievement: reviving Einstein on the Beach, an avant-garde masterwork by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson. Recreated in 1984, 1992, and 2012, the production exemplified BAM’s mission of creating “cultural events” that defined generations of New Yorkers. “Creating a cultural event in New York is a craft. It takes scale, vision, and risk,” he noted.
Cassello announced a new commemorative event aligned with this ethos: the September 2025 screening of Peter Brook’s Mahabharata (digitally restored), held at BAM’s Harvey Theater on what would have been Brook’s 100th birthday.
Philanthropy, identity, and the future
Stephanie French, former head of philanthropy at Philip Morris and early supporter of BAM’s Next Wave Festival, joined the conversation to offer historical and financial insights. French recalled how the abbreviation "BAM" emerged from a marketing brainstorm and helped rebrand the Brooklyn Academy of Music as a vanguard of innovation. “The Next Wave Festival built trust. It told audiences: leave it to us, we’ll give you something exciting,” she said.
She emphasized that in the corporate world, philanthropy is branding, and urged artists to position themselves strategically. “Take risks. Be the vessel for the future. That’s your gift and your responsibility,” she advised. Melillo added that in today’s fragmented landscape, artists must also master social media, which now serves as both a portfolio and a discovery tool. “Artists today have to be skilled at social media,” he said. “It has to be understood and creatively, imaginatively used, authentically to represent their work.”
A call to artists and audiences
In their closing thoughts, all three speakers reiterated their belief in the enduring power of live performance. “Artists are the center of our universe,” said French. “Without them, none of this exists.” For Melillo and Cassello, programming is a service to the artist and the audience, a form of cultural stewardship. “You have to give people a good reason to leave their couches,” said Cassello. “We all want that shared experience. But it has to say something.”
When asked what gives her hope, Cassello closed on a note of quiet optimism: “The interconnectedness among us, that we accept that as a responsibility, as an obligation, as a joy and that the art keeps coming.”
As she also put it earlier in the conversation: “We are the home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas.”
This extraordinary conversation, now part of the archives of both BAM and the Sibiu International Performing Arts Market, is not only a tribute to a world-class institution but also a rallying sign for the global performing arts community to remain audacious, inclusive, and imaginative.