Illuminating the Arts-Policy Nexus 

By David A. Andelman

VENICE—The consensus on Venice’s idyllic island of San Clemente, in the soaring conference halls, the Florentine corridors, the lush gardens, and the floral-lined pathways of its palazzo, is that Europe’s only real path out of its economic crisis is growth. The differences between the numerous Italians and the smattering of Greeks, French, Germans, Brits, and Americans assembled here was how to find its way onto this path out of recession.

Ultimately, it boils down to politics—not money, high (or low) finance, private (or public) equity, strong or weak currencies, feeble or potent banking systems. It comes down to systems of governing that work in today’s increasingly global world. At the closing luncheon of the Council on the United States and Italy, the Governor of Italy’s Central Bank, Ignazio Visco, suggests the single most rational manner for Europe, and by extension the United States and Asia for that matter, to extricate itself from the corner into which it seems to have painted itself is to grow free. In a lengthy examination of the underlying, fundamental health of much of Europe, even his own nation that seems poised just behind Greece and Spain on a precipice of its own making, Visco concludes that to exit this recession “the process of removing obstacles to economic activity must be continued and strengthened.” In short, Growth.

How Visco comes to this conclusion, however, reflects what many others have been saying in this bi-continental conference. “If the Euro area were viewed as a single country, it would appear as a sound and balanced economy,” he suggests, going on to point out that “the external accounts are in balance. The public sector deficit and debt this year are forecast to be just over 3 and 90 percent of GDP, respectively.” He continues, “Italy’s figures are not far from the European average.”

All undoubtedly true. Would that there were Germans here to provide another perspective. Many of the northern European nations, who’ve watched their powerful economic juggernauts subsidizing what they view as more profligate southern Europeans (Spain and Greece leap immediately to mind), might have another perspective.

Indeed the editor of one of Greece’s leading dailies, sitting in the audience at the Palazzo di San Clemente, observed that his fellow countrymen had for too long done little but dance and sing in the sunshine. In short, it’s time to buckle down. Buckle down and Grow.

With the G20 meeting in Mexico this week, Visco or his boss and predecessor, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, might well have been whispering in some ears what Italy’s central banker told his luncheon guests, “the commitments of the G20 to boost growth must be pursued consistently.” Or by way of reinforcement, “a complete exit from the crisis will be achieved only if all actors properly shoulder their responsibilities.” Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink.

Tourists, Tourists Everywhere

Across the lagoon, Venice is a city-state that has sprung full-grown, it seems, from the waters of the Adriatic. This alone—the romance of the canals, the grand palazzos in pastels that have sprouted on their shores—is what ensures its place in the Pantheon of tourist meccas. But what’s really insured its position is the Euro at $1.25, and en route, it would appear, to parity. So now, Venice finds that, beginning in the late spring and stretching into the summer and fall, millions of tourists overwhelm the 60,000 or so “real” Venetians of the Centro Storico who it is still possible to pick out in the rare coat and tie, bundles of papers under their arms, scurrying across bridges and down cobbled alleys. More and more of these tourists are Americans, it would seem, as the dollar strengthens in value against an increasingly worthless Euro.

Tony Green is one American who has built an entire business here catering to tourists and the odd Venetian. On the fringe of the ancient Jewish ghetto in the neighborhood of Cannaregio, Tony has a boutique where he sells his extraordinary oil paintings of the life and times of the Second Line bands and artists of his native New Orleans. There are so many congruencies here. Both are so very much of and about water—the canals of Venice, the bayous of Louisiana. Both are equally of and about music. New Orleans is jazz. Venice is opera and Vivaldi.

Both are performed here in lush surroundings to packed houses. And house is indeed the operative word. Well, palazzo might be more appropriate. Five nights a week, in the Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto, a 15th century Venetian Gothic jewel overlooking the Grand Canal, a fabulous, if tiny, La Scala-quality opera company with a lyric soprano, a Placido-style tenor and a lush four-piece orchestra, performs some of the classics, like La Traviata that debuted March 6, 1853 in Venice at La Fenice (still hosting operas). Each act is performed in a different room of our palazzo, the audiences moving from setting to setting. In the first act, Violetta sweeps into the living room, hands a glass of champagne to several of us in the front rows then turns to launch into Libiamo ne' lieti calici (“drink from the joyful cup”). And all, including champagne or Prosecco between acts, for just $75 a ticket (compare that with a front row seat at the Metropolitan Opera at four times the cost).

What is especially striking, though, is the publicity for all this—on billboards and kiosks across Venice splatter innumerable posters for music. There’s Vivaldi at the Chiesa San Pietro Martire complete with harpsichord, strings, and a memorable oboe. The opera company of the palazzo is plastered everywhere, not to mention performances of chamber music, vocal soloists, and full orchestras. But nary a single rock, rap, or rasta. This is the old Europe, and, with the Euro at $1.25, there is no lack of audience. Here’s how Europe can grow and here’s how we can show our appreciation for all it represents. 

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David A. Andelman is the Editor of World Policy Journal.

[Photo courtesy of Flickr]