Luxury, culture and Italy’s positive image. The attention of the international press remained focused on Italian events, in particular government bonds, reforms and political issues. They were also interested in news from the manufacturing sector and the world of culture. European and Middle Eastern newspapers opened with reports of the inauguration of Italo, Ntv’s new high speed train link (including, April 21, Le Figaro: Italo, le train chic qui fait rêver les Français, Arab News – Italy launches private high-speed train*; and Die Welt – Ein Ferrari auf Schienen). Lamborghini made news in the automotive sector. Along with the launching of its new SUV (April 24 – China Daily: Lamborghini rethinks SUVs with Urus), the luxury car maker attracted the interest of the Indian press (April 27 – Times of India: Lamborghini sees young India driving growth). And then, there was news from Piaggio in the Indian press, but not only, reporting on the company’s plans to use Vespa to conquer the Sub-Continent’s market (April 26 – Financial Times: Vespa brings La Dolce Vita to India; Times of India – Piaggio brings back iconic Vespa). Finally, Fiat is in the spotlight with its new 500L and Sedan in China, both manufactured in partnership with local firms (April 20 – The Wall Street Journal: Fiat Readies New Sedan for China; Die Welt – Jetzt wollen auch die Italiener Mini-Jäger werden).
There was also reporting on Eni: both the Russian and American press paid special attention to the agreement between the Italian firm and its Russian counterpart to explore offshore Arctic deposits (April 25 – The Wall Street Journal: Eni, Rosneft Reach Deal To Explore Arctic Fields*; Moscow Times: Eni Signs $125Bln Rosneft Oil Deal).
Culture and Italian design – Even after the Milan Furniture Fair closed, the foreign press continued talking about Italian design. Le Figaro printed an article on the hundredth anniversary of Poltrona Frau Frau (April 21 – L’éditeur de mobilier italien Poltrona Frau fête ses 100 ans et confirme son rôle dans le design*), while Handelsblatt ran a piece about some of the new trends shown at the fair (April 20 – Wie Versace Möbelhäusern Konkurrenz macht). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ran a series on Italian design by describing unusual details on storefront shutters and sunglasses (April 21 –Bella Italia 1: Der Rolladen; April 26 – Und was machen sie bei Regen?).
The foreign press also showed its interest in movies, theater and literature. While the Cinecittà studio is attempting a Renaissance on its 75th anniversary (April 27 – Time magazine: On Its 75th Anniversary, Italy’s Cinecittà Studio Attempts to Recapture Its Former Glory), and Ermanno Olmi’s Centochiodi was chosen to inaugurate the Jeddah European film festival (April 23 – Arab News: European film fest kicks off with ‘Centochiodi’), Giuseppe Verdi’s La Forza del Destino was performed in Buenos Aires (April 21 – La Nacion: Verdi, entre Gardel y Golijov). Finally, the South American press named Viola di Grado the best young author of Italian literature (April 22 aprile – Folha de S. Paulo: Semana de Design une consagrados e novatos; – La joven musa gótica de las letras italianas).
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