Music, Alfas, Italia

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 6/7/99 9:36:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< I have it on very sound information that the epiphany Jay Negrin
 experienced with the confluence of a beautifully screaming Alfa engine and
 the climactic note at the end of Nessun Dorma from the finale of Turandot,
 was the discovery, in fact, of a little known conspiracy of yesteryear
 between Maestro Puccini and I Capi di Fabbrica Alfa Romeo. They created, on
 purpose, this moment that would last in time immemorial as the ultimate
 musical release---this moment is the moment that lifted Jay, literally, out
 of this world and also confirms the fact of the conspiracy.  The foregoing
 is also evidence that Italy is the most superior nation in the world.  >>

Be that as it may, I have just returned from Italy which, as an opera and 
classical music fan I expected to be a paradise, with a newfound 
understanding of why the location of the radios on Alfas is always so... 
peculiar.  There is precious little music going on in Italy, compared to the 
US.  There is only ONE classical music radio station I found anywhere between 
Sorrento and Milano, and that is in Sienna, and our Tuscan hostess 
(originally from a suburb of Milano not far from Arese) explained it was the 
only one she knew of anyplace in the country.  There are also very few music 
radio stations of any kind.  No wonder the radio is such an afterthought at 
the factory!  There are concerts and operas performed throughout the land, 
but not really that frequently, even in major cities such as Roma and Milano. 
 The pop music and talk radio stations sound very much like clones of the US 
stations, and probably were designed by the same format consultants who shape 
our broadcasting industry. Believe me, Nessun Dorma is not high on the charts 
(but one forced aria performed by Andrea Bocelli is a hit there, mixed in 
with old-fashioned sounding pop and rap numbers).

Moral: when buying your new Alfa, go for the CD changer in the trunk if you 
plan on cruising the Autostrada!

Buon viaggio Telepass Family!

Charlie

El Lay, USA 

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