Speaking of Milano and Torino… what inevitably comes to mind is the business culture of Northern Italy’s two main industrial hubs, the cities that also happen to be the drivers behind what’s happening socially and culturally throughout the entire country. 

This year’s edition of MITO SettembreMusica features a pair of monologues – stories of homegrown businesses gone worldwide – by Stefano Massini, written expressly for the festival.

Massini took up the challenge with his usual unstoppable passion and sparkling lyricism to weave two tales, set to music, of history-making businesses that got their respective starts in Torino – Martini & Rossi – and Milano – Campari. It’s amazing how the stories of these familiar brands, told brilliantly by Mr. Massini, reflect the evolution of modern Italy after arriving on the scene in the 1800s. We’re talking epic history, folks – could it be a mere coincidence that such quintessential Italian beverages of the alcohol-containing variety were born just as the nascent Italian state was getting to its feet? Is it too much to swallow?     

The voice of the Tuscan playwright does back-and-forth with a jazz quartet featuring Emanuele Cisi (saxophones), Eleonora Strino (guitar), Marco Micheli (bass) and Enzo Zirilli (percussion).