The Minister for Tourism is turning his attention to culture. It was his idea to classify opera as an essential service

Rome. Perhaps he prefers Roberto Bolle to Hegel, and ‘La Canzone del Sole’ to ‘solar thought’. The fact remains, however, that the Minister for Tourism, Gianmarco Mazzi, has never really left the Roman Collegio. At the MIC, where he was Under-Secretary, traces of him remain. There, they called him ‘the little minister’: whether because of his role or his diligent mindset. But today Mazzi is nothing less than a ‘big minister’. A minister in many senses. In short, the man is the actual Minister for Tourism and yet also something of a shadow minister for Culture. And amongst the many marks he left at the MIC, it was said, there is one today that brings a smile to one’s face. One that Mazzi still holds very dear.

In fact, the draft Entertainment Code contains an amendment that essentially equates the opening performance marking the start of the artistic season at the major opera houses with so-called essential public services. In other words, the season’s opening is on a par with healthcare, security or Matteo Salvini’s transport networks. What does this mean? No strikes for the opening night. No ‘La Fenice’-style badges and no workers – mostly on the left – taking to the streets to cause a ruckus. A fine initiative, to be honest, for those of us who tend to equate the right to strike with the right to harass the public (and at the public’s expense, no less)... But an initiative that also offers a small glimpse into how things work at the Palace.

In those circles, in fact, they believe the notion of a strike as such has little to do with it, and the cult of melodrama even less so (the minister proposed shortening the operas to make them ‘more appealing’: sitting in the stalls gathering dust isn’t much fun). The strike itself is considered largely irrelevant, since the underlying aim is to prevent the performance from being cancelled and to ensure it goes ahead as scheduled for television.

The criticism goes even further, claiming that at its core lies “a conception of the work as if it were MTV” and, above all, the ambition to return to the Roman College soon. Perhaps in a few months, or perhaps a year. Who knows.

At the Ministry of Culture, however, the undersecretary who replaced Mazzi following his promotion to the Ministry of Tourism is Giampiero Cannella. A man who is the complete opposite of Mazzi. Whilst Giuli’s mindset is ‘sunny’ and Mazzi’s is ‘diligent’, the new undersecretary’s mindset is, in contrast, ‘latent’. He has yet to make his mark in either the music or entertainment sectors, so there is already talk of ‘being placed under administration’. Meanwhile, Mazzi is, in fact, organising an exhibition on Raffaella Carrà at the Museum of Civilisation. And so, at the EUR – already a temple of ‘melonism’ – and just in time for the 90th anniversary of the Roman neighbourhood. The former star manager is, in fact, also a figurehead for the (unpresentable) Fratelli in support of pop music. Giorgia Meloni knows this, appreciates it, and this is another reason why he isn’t letting go. It is widely believed that he is preparing for something better, and that he has never stopped keeping an eye on the cultural sector. A right-hand man of the former star-maker (Mazzi was manager to Celentano and Al Bano) is, in fact, the president of Assoconcerti, Bruno Sconocchia, a friend of his since the days when they both followed De André. Sconocchia is now set to play a prominent role in an advisory body of the MIC.

It is now clear that Mazzi may well be Minister for Tourism… but he is certainly no tourist when it comes to culture. Quite the opposite: it is precisely in that realm that he continues to leave his mark, his ambitions and his friends. Given that the last premiere cancelled due to a strike was in 2013 – Ernani, conducted by Muti – it is uncertain whether the next revival might not already have its own theme. No longer Ernani… but rather Mic, carry me away.