47 years passed before Starbucks opened its first store in Italy. Its founder, Howard Schultz, has often spoken of his deep respect, even a certain reverence, for the Italian market. Italy was, in fact, where Schultz found the inspiration for Starbucks’ global café concept, during a trip to Milan in 1983.

For the communication campaign marking the opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan’s Piazza Cordusio, Tracce produced several video pieces. 

In the short documentary The Romance of Italian Espresso, Howard Schultz reflects on his connection with Italy and recalls the famous trip that introduced him to Italian coffee bars and inspired the Starbucks model: the café as a “third place” for social interaction beyond home and work, the relationship between barista and customer, and espresso-making as a craft. The film was shot in some of Milan’s most iconic locations, including the historic Hodeidah coffee roastery.

Boheme for Starbucks — Teatro alla Scala, Milan. The event was organised to mark the opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan. The second act of Puccini’s opera La Bohème was performed on the stage of Teatro alla Scala, filmed exclusively for the camera, and subsequently screened during the Roastery’s inauguration in Piazza Cordusio.

Every shot was carefully conceived to convey the power and expressiveness of the singing. Steadicam operators on stage and a techno-crane installed in the auditorium transformed the performance into a particularly compelling experiment in cinematography and live direction.