Economy – This week there were several stories about the Italian economy in the International press. The Financial Times told of the unexpected good news regarding growth in the manufacturing sector (June 10 – Italian industrial production beats forecast*), and in another article it ran another piece explaining how China’s Agic Capital had just decided to invest in Italy’s Gimatic (June 12 – Chinese fund buys Italian robot toolmaker*). Reuters, on the other hand, published an interview with Alberto Vacchi, IMA’s president, in which he spoke about the company’s growth prospects (June 10 – Italy’s IMA considers acquisition options abroad, nothing seen short term). The photo-voltaic sector also made news, thanks to the decision by a British insurance company to invest 150 million Euros in Italy’s solar industry (Financial Times, June 13 – Prudential raises its bet on green energy*).
The best restaurant in the world – Italy’s reputation for culinary excellence was confirmed this week, with various papers talking about the eatery owned by Massimo Bottura, the Osteria Francescana, recently named as the best restaurant in the world. (The New York Times, June 14 – Osteria Francescana Tops List of World’s 50 Best Restaurants*; Reuters, June 15 – Italy’s Osteria Francescana named world’s best restaurant). Two French papers also covered the same story (Les Echos, June 14 – Gastronomie : la meilleure table au monde est italienne; Le Nouvel Observateur, June 14 – 5 choses à savoir sur Massimo Bottura, élu meilleur restaurateur du monde). The story also made the Spanish news, El País added to the news by pointing out that the Italian restaurant had overtaken a Spanish competitor, the Can Roca (June 14 – Osteria Francescana desbanca al Celler de Can Roca como mejor restaurante del mundo). In a separate piece on the same day, the paper also passed on the advice Bottura had to give about the best dishes that Italian cuisine has to offer (¿La pizza galáctica? El chef del mejor restaurante del mundo recomienda...).
Over in the UK, The Guardian was not aiming quite as high, having asked its readers to write in with suggestions on where to find the best trattorias outside Italy’s major cities as well as what to eat there (June 9 – Italian village trattorias: readers’ travel tips). The New York Times also ran with an uncomplicated Italian specialty, writing about the secrets of taralli as an alternative to potato chips (June 10 – Italy’s Answer to Potato Chips? Taralli, of Course*).
Culture – Les Echos featured a piece on one of Italy’s major cultural events, the Venice Biennale (June 10 – La biennale d’architecture de Venise en questions*). At the other end of the scale Le Monde, wrote about the exhibition of Arte Povera being held at the Pompidou Center in Paris (June 14 – L’Arte Povera résiste aux lois du marché*). In a real mix of nations, Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung took in the exhibition dedicated to the Austrian capital, Vienna, staged in Milan and featuring that city’s avante garde artists from the post WW2 period (June 13 – Mailands Avandgarde der Sechziger marschiert). The New York Times Magazine featured the photographs taken by Stephen Shore in the rural town of Luzzara, in Emilia (June 14 – Portraits of an Italian Town That Time (Almost) Left Behind*), whilst die Zeit was much further south, exploring the cultural and touristic wonders of Palermo and Sicily (June 15 – Eine Reise nach Europa).
Cinema & Music – This week the Financial Times published its interview with Matteo Garrone, that also included a review on his latest film, “The story of stories” (June 10 – Interview: Italian director Matteo Garrone*) whilst it was the 60th birthday of one of Italy’s favorite and truly iconic female rock stars, Gianna Nannini that caught the attention of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (June 14 – Die Frau ist ein Rocker).
Style – While the New York Times featured two pieces on the Pitti Uomo collections (June 10 – At Pitti Uomo, a Few Shirts and a Sportswear Slant*; June 15 – Karl Lagerfeld, a Renaissance Man Among Renaissance Masters*), another US paper, the Wall Street Journal, was interested in the efforts being made by Alitalia to mark its re-launch, complete with a redesigned fleet and fashion-rated uniforms, (June 12 – Italian Airline Goes on Charm Offensive*). El País wrote about the architect Rem Koolhass, who is swapping “delirious” New York and his work with the Prada Foundation for “beautiful Italian design” in Venice where he has taken on the restoration of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (June 10 – Del delirio neoyorchino al ‘bel design’ italiano). And, finally, an article in the Lebanese paper L’Orient Le Jour pointed out that “style is synonymous with Italy” (June 16 – Doit-on succomber au design italien).
* Article available for pay / at registration