How Puccini’s Madam Butterfly catapulted Pavarotti to stardom
Pavarotti had sung in the UK before, though not as an operatic soloist. Eight years previously, aged just 19, he had travelled to Wales with the Corale Rossini, a male voice choir from his hometown of Modena, to compete at the Eisteddfod in Llangollen. The choir won first prize in its category, and their success fired Luciano with a desire to launc...
How to make limoncello
Have you always wanted a lemonade for grown-ups? Limoncello might be right for you, and it is easy to make for yourself with a few lemons and a bit of time. Limoncello — or limoncino, as it is sometimes called— is an Italian liqueur made from lemon zest. It tastes like a boozy lemon gelato and is often drunk as a digestivo to cleanse the palate aft...
Travels in Emilia-Romagna
As Stanley Tucci showed the world in his TV series Searching for Italy, Emilia-Romagna is a treasure trove for food lovers. In 2023, the first Italian B Corp hotel opens in Parma. To clarify, B Corporations comprise the innovative companies that pursue profit while maintaining a positive impact on the environment and people. The Palazzo dell’Agrico...
Every Lamborghini model to be electric by end of 2024, company announces
Italian luxury automobile manufacturer Lamborghini said they are going electric. The company said they would launch its first hybrid series production car in 2023, and by the end of 2024, each of the models will be offered a plug-in hybrid vehicle. "Performance and the authentic Lamborghini driving experience will remain the focus of the company’s...
Villa Farnese at Caprarola: enchanting day trip from Rome
The Monti Cimini with their volcanic lakes of Lago di Vico and Lago di Bolsena lie about 50km along the ancient Roman consular road, the Via Cassia, which runs north from Rome towards Florence.Above Lago di Vico perches Caprarola, on land once occupied by goats, hence its name. Today the goats have vanished, to be replaced by a stupendous palace, P...
Campania: the richness of the thermal springs on the island of Ischia
Ischia, an island of volcanic origin has been known for its hot springs since the dawn of civilisation: from Homer onwards, poets, geographers, historians, naturalists and doctors (Timaeus, Ephorus, Pliny the Elder, Strabo) often spoke of Ischia as having such interesting natural phenomena and at the same time frequent volcanic telluric manifestati...
Who is ‘the Castle Diary’ on TikTok? Creator living in an Italian castle goes viral
Many people have wondered what it might be like to live inside a castle in the modern-day, but now people get to have all their questions answered, with Ludovica making countless viral videos about her life through ‘thecastlediary.’ The 10,000 square foot Italian castle named Castello Sannazzaro is certainly something to behold. 19-year-old Ludovic...
Dante Alighieri exiled for political reasons, say lawyers in symbolic re-trial 700 years later
Italy’s most famous poet, Dante Alighieri, was forced from his native town of Florence because of his political affiliation. This is the assertion from a group of lawyers in May 2021, despite the exile taking place over 700 years ago. The father of the Italian language was exiled in 1302 and later sentenced to death following a coup by his politica...
Il Sole 24 Ore and Financial Times to convene “Made in Italy” events series
“Made in Italy: Setting a New Course” will involve two events: a Pre-Summit Think Tank, scheduled for 8 June, and a three-day Summit, which will take place from 4-6 October. The events will gather government officials, business leaders and representatives from the most renowned Italian sectors as well as international opinion leaders. Discussions w...
Parmigiano Reggiano Exports Growing Annually For What Is Called The “King Of Italian Cheeses”
It’s a reasonable question to ask why, since all cheeses are made from the same ingredients—cow, ewe or goat’s milk—are there such myriad differences among the thousands of types from so many countries. To find out why Parmigiano Reggiano is un-reproducible anywhere but around Parma, I asked Nicola Bertinelli, a producer and President of the Parm...
Aerospace diplomacy. Il legame (forte) tra Italia e Stati Uniti
Nel 1861, quando il neonato Regno d’Italia stabilì relazioni diplomatiche con gli Stati Uniti d’America, la diplomazia dell’aria e dello spazio non esisteva. Con l’eccezione di pochi palloni aerostatici, l’umanità era allora saldamente ancorata al suolo, la tecnologia non esisteva e le distanze e i mari sembravano invalicabili. Lo scenario cambiò n...
Siena Cathedral unveils beautiful mosaic floors
Siena has announced the 2021 dates when the extraordinary inlaid marble mosaic floors of the city's cathedral will be unveiled as part of an eagerly-awaited annual event. The magnificent marble floor, covered with masonite sheeting for the rest of the year, can be visited from 26 June until 31 July and again from 18 August until 17 October. Visitor...