Culture – Cultural items take centre stage again this week in the foreign press’s coverage of Italy. The Guardian joins the list of newspapers visiting the Venice Biennale, with a comment on Barca Nostra, a work “pushing the limits of art” by Christoph Büchel, using the wreck of a migrant’s boat that sank in the Mediterranean in 2015 ( May 17 – The Guardian view on theVenice Biennale’s migrant boat: pushing the limits of art). The leading Spanish publications, on the other hand, cover the exhibition that the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has dedicated to Lucio Fontana, “painting’s last assassin” famed for his “sculptures on canvas” (El País, May 16 – Lucio Fontana, escultor sobre lienzo; El Mundo, May 20 – Lucio Fontana, el último asesino de la pintura). And while El País covers literature with a profile/interview with Alessandro Baricco (May 21 – “Turín está hoy dividida en torno a la idea de progreso”), Libération marks the recent death of Nanni Balestrini, poet, writer, essayist, and “cultural agitator” (May 21 – MORT DE NANNI BALESTRINI, AGITATEUR INTELLECTUEL ET CULTUREL*).
Luxury and style – Italian-made quality grabs the spotlight in apparel, with El País recounting the party in Capri for 87 years of Valentino, “the last legend in high fashion” who has become an “unexpected influencer” thanks to his 1.4 million followers (May 19 – Cómo Valentino se convirtió en un ‘influencer’ inesperado). The Spanish daily also covers the automotive industry with the story of Stefano Domenicali, former sporting director at Ferrrari, who is now “driving Lamborghini’s success” (May 17 – Domenicali, presidente de Lamborghini: una vida a toda pastilla).
Tourism – International newspapers are also devoting coverage to tourism news. While The New York Times recounts Elba’s initiative of offering refunds to tourists in the event of bad weather, and talks about beaches where only rain can spoil “dreams of dipping into cobalt-blue waters” (May 19 – Rain Much on Your Vacation? One Italian Island Offers Hotel Refunds*), Financial Times reports on Ischia’s Hotel Mezzatorre immediately after a renovation that has given it a “glamorous new look” (May 22 – Ischia in style: the revamped Mezzatorre hotel*). Lastly, The Wall Street Journal visits Puglia to recommend three destinations for your “next Italian escape,” in what has become a “gem” among Italian regions, thanks to improved airport and railway links (May 22 – Three Puglia Properties for Your Next Italian Escape*).
Wine & Food – As usual, Italian culinary offerings are also covered. While the German Die Welt pays homage to spaghetti all’amatriciana (May 21 – Spaghetti all’amatriciana), Austria’s Der Standard offers a recipe for spaghetti alla chitarra with basil and pesto (May 21 – Spaghetti alla chitarra con Basilikum-Minze-Pesto). El Mundo, on the other hand, reports on the chef Renato Viola who, after “conquering Miami” with his pizzas, is now setting off for Madrid (May 21 – Las pizzas de las que todo el mundo va a hablar en Madrid (y no va de farol)). Another world-famous Italian recipe is the Negroni, as the renowned cocktail celebrates its 100th year (Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung, May 18 – Wie der Negroni zu seinem Namen kam).
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