Culture – Culture features prominently this week, with numerous articles dedicated to opera. A number of publications pay their respects to Mirella Freni; the soprano who passed away at 84 years of age (El Pais, February 10 – Muere la soprano Mirella Freni, a los 84 años) is recalled as an “exemplary Italian prima donna for nearly 50 years” (New York Times, February 9 – Mirella Freni, Matchless Italian Prima Donna, Dies at 84*), “that last great diva of the twentieth century” (Le Monde, February 10 – La célèbre soprano italienne Mirella Freni est morte*), known as “graceful, clear-voiced and expressive” (The Guardian, 10 February – Mirella Freni Obituary), and a star who also sang with Pavarotti (February 10 in Die Zeit, Opernstar Mirella Freni ist tot and Sueddeutsche Zeitung – Italienische Opernsängerin Mirella Freni gestorben).
The New York Times also pays its respects to Nello Santo, the conductor and “one of the most authoritative interpreters of Italian opera” (February 6 – Nello Santi, Conductor With His Heart in Italian Opera, Dies at 88), while El País covers the latest concert, in Spain, of baritone Leo Nucci (February 7 – Leo Nucci se despide de España en Betanzos). Still in music, but on the pop scene, Libération profiles Liberato, “the strange Neapolitan” who sings, in dialect, his love for his city” (February 9 – LIBERATO, L’ÉTRANGE NAPOLITAIN*).
The German press concentrates on art with the festivities marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael (Handelsblatt, February 7 – Wie Italien Ausstellungen zu Blockbustern macht ) and the show that the Vatican has dedicated to paintings by Perugino, Raphael’s teacher (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, February 8 – Vatikanische Museen zeigen Perugino).
Coverage is also devoted to literature with an interview of Antonio Manzini who, on the occasion of the Barcelona BCNegra crime-story festival, discusses his character, Inspector Rocco Schiavone (El Pais, February 9 – Antonio Manzini: “Los porros de Schiavone son poco más fuertes que una manzanilla”).
Economy – Eyewear takes centre stage in economic and financial reporting: Bloomberg covers Safilo, which has grown with the acquisition of Privé Revaux February 10 – Safilo Buys Majority Stake in Celebrity Eyewear Privé Revaux*) and profiles Leonardo Del Vecchio who, after having “shaken up” the eyewear industry, is betting on finance “to build a $4 billion financial empire” (February 11 – Ray-Ban’s Savior Aims to Build $4 Billion Italian Finance Empire).
And while Reuters discusses the growth in Enel’s profits (February 6 – Enel earnings lifted by grid, sales business to beat target*), Financial Times devotes an editorial to climate change and energy transition, underscoring the “golden opportunity” offered by the upcoming COP26 organized by the United Kingdom and its co-chair Italy (February 7 – With COP26, Britain has a chance to take the lead on climate change*).
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