The January La Freccia celebrates the arrival of the 2020s with Mara Venier on the cover

The first issue of the year opens by looking at the world of media with the Director of La Stampa Maurizio Molinari

Rome, 2 January 2020

La Freccia greets the 20s of the twenty-first century, with a look back to those of the twentieth century, and offers its readers a range of suggestions for travelling, including anniversaries, sublime musical notes, glasses of excellent wine, art and entertainment, culture and sport. The toast is given by a radiant Mara Venier, the RaiUno Sunday show presenter, as she raises her glass to a splendid 2020 and tells the readers of the FS Italiane magazine about the many surprises and projects she has in store for the year ahead.

La Freccia then reserves the internal cover for two exhibitions on the 1920s, one at the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, the other at the Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza and then plays with the many anniversaries of 2020 that suggest as many trips, with mind and body: from Rimini, remembering Federico Fellini, 100 years after his birth, to Urbino, which is celebrating 500 years since the death of Raffaello, and to Livorno for the 100 years since the death of Modigliani, not forgetting the 100 years since the birth of Gianni Rodari and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. The editorial and other articles pay great attention to the themes of diversity and inclusion, now a firm part of the FS Group's corporate culture, which has seen its CEO Gianfranco Battisti recently appointed European Ambassador for Diversity.

The magazine opens, as usual, with Medialogando, a column dedicated to the world of media: this time hosted by the director of La Stampa Maurizio Molinari who reveals an unexpected optimism, based on trust in quality information, about the fate of journalism and newspapers.

In January, La Freccia invites you to travel to the notes of various musical genres, from the concert season of EnoArmonie in Friuli, where the story of the region follows a sound and taste score, to Beethoven's sonatas for violin and piano, discussed by Maestro Salvatore Accardo in an exclusive interview with two voices, together with his wife and violinist Laura Gorna, on the 250th anniversary of his birth. Next comes the meeting with the Russian pianist Evgenij Kissin and his memories of the director Herbert Von Karajan who launched him at a very young age in 1998. Moving from classical to contemporary, last but not least the stars of today's live shows, with the German band Giant Rooks, which has exploded with the song Wild Stare and will be releasing a new album at the end of the month.

Other guests in January include actor Maurizio Lombardi, from 10 January on Sky as Cardinal Mario Assente for Paolo Sorrentino's The New Pope, and "travelling" chef Bruno Barbieri, from 6 January on TV8 as host of Cuochi d'Italia.

Having concluded Matera's turn as European Capital of Culture, the baton now passes to Parma, which will be representing Italy in 2020 with dozens of events, exhibitions and projects that will combine tradition and contemporaneity. On the subject of art events, La Freccia introduces those of Bologna, with Arte Fiera, and Livorno, where Amedeo Modigliani will be on show in his hometown for a big retrospective on the occasion of the centenary of his death. There are also many ideas and suggestions for travel and gourmet proposals to experience the beginning of the new year between fun and good food, especially for snow lovers between Valle d'Aosta, Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy and Veneto. All the way to Italian delicacies, with the Marche region, selected by Lonely Planet (Best in Travel) as one of the Top 10 regions to visit this year in the world, and the natural and historical scenarios that host the Celestine Forgiveness, Transhumance and Mountaineering recognised by UNESCO last December as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The highlight in Florence, from 7 to 10 January, will be Pitti Uomo 97, setting out all the new looks and events for the coming season. And finally, a look at nature, with Stefano Unterthiner's reportages at the Fortress of Bard (Aosta) through to the experience exhibition on environment and climate at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.

We will also be repeating the very popular contribution of Un treno di libri by Alberto Brandani which, in the column In viaggio con il Prof, will be presenting this month's La Freccia readers with Annette Hesse's new novel, L'interprete; while RAILWAY heART will feature the stories of those who travel by train for work, study or pleasure, and those who make the trains work, with a selection of shots depicting the protagonists and places of the railway universe. Many famous names of external collaborators, journalists and writers will also be contributing to the monthly Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane magazine in January.