Economy – FCA’s growth plans attracted the attention of the foreign press this week, with Reuters, explaining how the company will invest 5 billion for new models and new motors (November 29 – Fiat Chrysler to spend 5 billion euros in Italy to fill plants, keep jobs; it was also reprised by the New York Times – Fiat Chrysler to Spend 5 Billion Euros in Italy to Fill Plants, Keep Jobs*). The news agency also had something to say about Gucci’s plans for expansion (November 30 – Gucci to add sparkle with high-end jewels, Kering’s Pinault says).
Culture – There were also several articles of a cultural nature. The Financial Times reviewed the new recording of “Messa per Rossini” by La Scala’s Chorus and Orchestra (November 30 – Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan: Messa per Rossini — quintessentially Italian*), whilst El País wrote about Riccardo Muti’s triumphant start to the season with Mozart’s “Così fan Tutte” at the San Carlo in Naples (November 28 – Riccardo Muti hace realidad el sueño de Mozart en Nápoles) and then the same paper also wrote about Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the few women artists to be included in the exhibition celebrating 199 years of the Prado in Madrid (December 2 – El Prado rescata a Artemisia Gentileschi de los almacenes).
Tourism – The New York Times was exploring Basilicata, a region “rich in food and history” and home to next year’s European Capital for Culture – Matera (December 3 – An Ancient Corner of Italy Finds the World on Its Doorstep*), and then the paper was in Florence to find out more about an old silk factory (December 5 – In Florence, an ‘Undiscovered Jewel’ of a Fabric Mill*). Meanwhile, Icon, El País’s lifestyle supplement, included Italy in a piece about the 5 countries most visited by Spaniards in 2018 thanks to its “architectural, cultural and culinary heritage” that it believes is probably the most impressive in Europe (Decemeber 4 – Estos son los cinco países a los que más hemos viajado los españoles este 2018). The Wall Street Journal had its own top 5 destinations to write about – this time for skiers – that included the Dolomites (December 5 – 5 Flat-Out Ideal Cross-Country Ski Getaways).
Food & Drink this week featured a very traditional Christmas cake from Milan in an article, in El País that explained where to eat the best panettone in Barcelona and elsewhere (November 30 – Ha arribat l’hora del panettone) whilst the New York Times was at the opposite end of the country, to celebrate Sicily’s own kind of pizza – called sfincione – that holds universal appeal (December 3 – A Beloved Sicilian Street Food Comes Inside*).
*Article available for pay / at registration