Italians are fantastic people, really. They can work you over in an alley while singing an opera.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
There is in the DNA of the Italians a bit of madness, which in the overwhelming majority of cases is positive. It is genius. It is talent. It's the masterpieces of art. It's the food, fashion, everything that makes Italy great in the world.
Some Italians are geniuses, but you have to find a balance.
I know Italians and I like them. A lot of my father's best friends were Italians.
Love and understand the Italians, for the people are more marvellous than the land.
The Italians always know that I'm not Italian.
The Italians have their priorities right: They're driven, they do their work, but they really enjoy the day-to-day and they don't put off the enjoyment of the everyday for some future goal.
Italians are great improvisers. If something unforeseen happens, they throw up their hands, and they adjust.
Italians know about human nature - they understand human nature perhaps better than anyone else does. They know that people are weak and greedy and lazy and dishonest and they just try to make the best of it; to work around it.
The very beautiful and very touching thing about opera singers is they are very willing to do whatever you want. Unlike actors, who constantly want to know why they're doing something, opera singers will sort of follow you into the fires of hell.
The Italians are not indulgent, as Americans are. They don't have the patience to teach young singers how to move. They think you should learn in school.