Economy – For the last two weeks, correspondents of the world’s leading newspapers have been focused on the earthquake that shook Central Italy on August 24. In the preceding weeks however, it was the economy, especially investments that took up the most column inches. Ryanair’s plans to increase its traffic on the Italian market to the tune of one billion dollars was of particular interest (Financial Times, August 17 – Ryanair’s $1bn Italian Job*; Reuters, August 17 – Ryanair hikes Italy investment after govt does tax U-turn). Asian investors are also showing a keen interest in Italy at the moment, as seen in purchase of AC Milan for more than 800 million dollars by China’s Suning Group (Wall Street Journal, August 5 – China Nets Italy’s AC Milan Soccer Club*). More proof of Italy’s appeal in the East can also be evinced from the offers made for the pharmaceutical company Recordati, reported by Bloomberg (August 1 – Italy’s Recordati Said to Weigh Options Amid Asian Interest).
In fact, several of Italy’s large industrial groups made international news in August. Wall Street Journal wrote about Giovanni Ferrero’s plans to relaunch one of the country’s great confectionary companies (August 8 – Ferrero’s CEO Picks Up the Pace at the Chocolate Maker*). Moreover, it reported on the excellent economic results currently being enjoyed by the automobile industry, with Ferrari’s quarterly profits flying high (Wall Street Journal, August 2 – Ferrari Profit Jumps as More Cars Ship*). Its major holding company – Exor – is also showing a consistent increase in earnings, thanks in part to FCA doubling its profits (Wall Street Journal, August 29 – Exor Profit Jumps on Fiat Chrysler Results*). Another Italian auto giant, Lamborghini, concentrates on the future, hoping to double its sales by 2019 by appealing more to women and families. (New York Times, August 23 – Lamborghini Sees Worldwide Sales Doubling by 2019 After SUV Launch*; Bloomberg, August 30 – Lamborghini Pivots to Target Women and Families).
There has also been much written about luxury properties on the market in Italy, with villas and old farmhouses for sale in Umbria (Wall Street Journal, August 15 – An Italian Farmhouse, Rebooted* and August 29 – An Italian Villa With a French Touch) and also in Tuscany (New York Times, July 28 – A Family in Italy Decides to Part With Its Castle* and August 18 – Michelangelo’s Tuscan Hillside Retreat*).
Culture – Interest in Italian culture never wanes. As El País commented, even Cervantes made his way to Italy, the artistic Mecca of his era, looking for inspiration (August 4- Cervantes: suspiros de Italia). A much more recent visitor, US writer Donna Leon whose detective stories are set in Venice, also merited a write up (Les Echos, August 24 – Le flic de l’été : Commissaire Brunetti, le Maigret vénitien). Music also made the news, with a piece in Le Monde on the “Viale dei Canti”, the latest multi-media work on show at the Italian Institute of Culture in Paris (July 30 – Le mur à l’italienne, au cœur de Paris*), other newspapers wrote about music with an article on the Rossini Festival in Pesaro (Financial Times, August 12 – La donna del lago, Rossini Festival, Pesaro, Italy — review) and on the works of Puccini, one of the composers featured in New York’s Bard Music Festival (Wall Street Journal, August 3 – Giacomo Puccini: Controversial Composer?). However, El País was all about much more contemporary Italian music, specifically Talco, “the leading ska band in Europe” (August 2 – El ska italiano que ama a Ringo Starr).
The figurative arts have also been well represented, with a piece in the New York Times all about the 18th century artist, Giovanni Della Robbia (August 18 – The Art of Della Robbia: From Earth and Water, Pure Beauty*) while the Financial Times told its readers about an exhibition mounted within the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice devoted to Italian art in the 60s (August 2 – Imagine: New Imagery in Italian Art 1960-1969, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice — review*). The Guardian ran an article on Venice scene for the Oscars thanks to the opening of the 73rd International Film Festival (August 30 – Venice film festival: Hollywood looks to Italy for Oscars launchpad).
At least a couple of articles on science are also of interest with the Financial Times featured a long, all-encompassing interview with Carlo Rovelli , the Italian physicist with a reputation for making even the most complex science understandable for the rest of us (August 12 – Lunch with the FT: Carlo Rovelli). Lastly les Echos, explained something of the history of economics in an article all about Luca Pacioli, the Franciscan monk deemed to be “the father” of modern accounting methods (July 29 – Luca Pacioli, le «père» de la comptabilité).
Food & Wine proved to be a popular subject this summer. Many articles were written about how the famous pasta dish “all’Amatriciana” born in the earthquake-stricken town of Amatrice, is being sold in restaurants to raise money for the victims. The New York Times told its readers about local restaurants involved (August 26 – Pasta From New York Restaurants Aids in Earthquake Relief*, whilst Le Nouvel Observateur on August 27 described the success this idea is enjoying in Italy itself – Ils mangent des pâtes pour aider les victimes du séisme en Italie). Other papers featured a variety of Italian recipes; from a tuna-based sauce (Financial Times, August 26 – Recipe — tuna dip, broccoli, potato and eggs*), to a traditional blueberry risotto from Alto Adige (Washington Post, August 9 – Smitten with summer fruit, a young man’s thoughts turn to . . . risotto?). The huge appeal of traditional Italian cuisine was demonstrated by the thousands of people who queued for the opening of the new Eataly shop in New York (Bloomberg, August 16 – Here’s Why 15,000 People Lined Up at Eataly Last Week*). The best of Italian food also made its way to the Rio Olympics thanks to Massimo Bottura, chef of the Osteria Francescana, (Expansión, August 16 – El ‘pop up’ de Massimo Bottura en Río). The same paper also told its readers where to sample good Italian food in Santander (July 27 – El Italiano, cocina alpina en Santander).
Italian wine attracted no less attention. The New York Times was exploring wines from the slopes of Mt. Etna (August 24 – Sicily’s Mount Etna, an Island Within an Island and August 25 – The Evolution of a Natural Winemaker), whilst the Financial Times was concentrating on Tuscan wine in a profile piece and interview with Lamberto Frescobaldi (August 17 Lamberto Frescobaldi, head of a Florentine winemaking dynasty*). Food and wine exploration in the Cinque Terre, described as “a delight for hikers, foodies and wine enthusiasts” (New York Times, September 1 – 36 Hours in the Cinque Terre, Italy).
It was cocktails that grabbed the attention of Bloomberg however, with two articles on the subject The first was about the Campari based “Garibaldi” (August 17 – The Garibaldi Is The Perfect Summer Cocktail), whilst the second, featured Fernet Branca and its growing world-appeal (August 30 – Cocktail Culture Is Officially Sweet on Bitter Fernet-Branca).
Fashion – This subject, along with Italian cuisine, it is the one most featured by the international press to explore the Italian way of life. The Wall Street Journal wrote about the foundation set up by Giorgio Armani as a way of ensuring his label’s future (July 31 – Giorgio Armani Lays Groundwork for Future of His Fashion House*). The 30 years of Dolce & Gabbana featured in Les Echos (August 26 – Dolce & Gabbana : une ambition à l’italienne*). While Reuters described the reason behind the success of Italian handbag and accessories maker Furla (September 1 – Sales at Italy’s Furla grow 28 percent, boosted by tourist shopping), Spain’s Expansión got to grips with the starting point for a particular type of made in Italy luxury with a profile on Silvio Albini, head of Europe’s biggest producer of textiles (Expansión, August 11 – Silvio Albini, el capo de las telas made in Italy).
*Article available for pay / at registration