Contrast that to four years ago, when the inaugural ceremony included Aretha Franklin but also classical musicians such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman and others, and the Hollywood types were largely saved for the evening's balls.

NPR: The Inaugural Do-Over: Chomping Gum, Savoring View

Fiodor shows us his favourite statues before taking a break from the Milanese evening heat at Bar Chocolat - a gelateria boasting over ten different types of chocolate ice cream.

BBC: The Real Milan

"Our motive was to see if two types of music that were done very differently could be brought together for a single evening, " he says.

NPR: Hilary Hahn and Josh Ritter: An Uncommon Duo