Toot Toot La Strega è Morta

Ha! Just last week I was making snide remarks about Italian military music, but here's a keeper: a chorus accompanied by (as it sounds to me) the same boop-boop brass. The mood is jubilant and perhaps no wonder: these are Italians celebrating the departure of their Prime Minister for whom, despite his 14 years in office, no Italian has ever admitting voting. More than the same brass: I'm not good enough at Italian street scenes to be sure, but wouldn't that be the same Palazzo Quirinale in the background?  

Just as a guess, I'd speculate that these are not generic "Italians" celebrating the departure but perhaps more likely musicians who have felt the sting of Berlusconi-era budget cuts. I admit I'm of more than one mind about State subsidy for opera. I recognize that big opera wouldn't survive without it, but if I'm so death on subsidies for farmers, oil companies, etc., why make an exceptiion for artists? I suppose the best that can be said that it's a crime to cut the opera money if you're going to replace it with pots of Euros for Disneyfied corporate consumer art, which ought to be able to carry its on load aat least as well as, say, ethanol. But I admit I don't think I have that one straightened out yet.   H/T Alex Ross. And if you care about this sort of thing, go back and pick up his terrific survey of the Italian opera scene. A year old but still catches the flavor, I think.

For up-to-the-minute news on the aftermath of Berlusconi, from at Italian economist whose name does not end with a vowel, go here.  For the best non-technical account I've seen lately as to why Italy (and Greece, and the rest of us) are in such a mess, go here.