Sanremo festival turns 60!

A singing prince, a song on euthanasia and a guest performance by Susan Boyle are some of the components of the 60th edition of the Sanremo festival. Hosted by Antonella Clerici, the five-day festival which kicks off today promises to be a "super" edition, with many young artistes, memorable performances, a glamorous stage, a 60-strong orchestra and very important guests!

As in previous years, the prestigious festival is divided into two categories: established and new artistes. Taking part in the main competition are 15 artistes, some of whom are relatively new to the Italian music scene. The latter include Marco Mengoni, fresh from winning this year's edition of the Italian version of X Factor; Noemi, who took part in last year's edition of the same reality show, and gained quite a success on the Italian charts; and Valerio Scanu, who placed second in last year's talent show Amici (the latter's song was written by one of the current participants of the same TV programme - Pierdavide Carone).

Past winners of the newcomers' category are trying their luck as established artistes. These are last's year winner, the peculiar Arisa, who is sporting a clown-ish look and will be accompanied by a trio of drag queens; young rock band Sonohra, who won the category two years ago; and Fabrizio Moro, who won the same title in 2007 and went on to place third in the established artistes' category the following year. Malika Ayane, who exploded on the music scene after her participation as a new artiste last year, has also made it to the main competition.

Then there are Zucchero's daughter, Irene Fornacciari, who will be accompanied by legendary band I Nomadi; the explosive Irene Grandi and Simone Cristicchi, who won the festival in 2007 with Ti regalerò una rosa.

Veteran artistes include Toto Cutugno, who won the festival in 1980 with Solo noi and is participating for the 15th time; Neapolitan icon Nino D'Angelo, who will be singing in his hometown's dialect; and Enrico Ruggeri, twice winner of the festival - in 1987 with Si può dare di piu (together with Gianni Morandi and Umberto Tozzi) and in 1993 with Mistero.

Making his debut in the festival - and as a singer - is Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoia who is presenting an ode to Italy aptly titled Italia amore mio (Italy my love) together with Pupo and tenor Luca Canonici.

Povia, who won the festival in 2006 with Vorrei avere il becco and placed second last year with the song Luca era gay, returns with another controversial song. Entitled La verità (The truth), it is inspired by the story of Eluana Englaro, who was at the centre of a national debate on euthanasia. Eluana was left in a vegetative state after a car accident in 1992, at the age of 21. After 17 years in coma, her father last year won a legal battle to have her removed from life support, insisting it was what she would have wanted.

Speaking of controversies, Sanremo is never shorn of them...This year, the festival has already been the subject of a number of squabbles. The artistes in the main competition should have been 16 but ended up one less after Marco Castoldi, aka Morgan, admitted in an interview early this month that he takes cocaine regularly as an antidepressant. RAI immediately chopped him off the festival, but later - after causing a hullabaloo on the Italian media - decided to let him present his song as an out-of-competition entry.

The 10 emerging artistes or nuova generazione (new generation) include only two females - Nina Zilli, who had a discreet success last summer with her retro-style song 50 mila (50 thousand) and 15-year-old Jessica Brando. Among the male contenders are Tony Maiello, who had participated in the first edition of the Italian X-Factor; an indie pop band called La fame di Camilla (whose name was inspired by philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach's concept that "a man is what he eats"); and a guy who claims he's very romantic and goes by the stage name Romeus. The winner of this category will be proclaimed on Friday, eve of the final.

Being the 60th anniversary, Thursday's theme is "Quando la musica diventa leggenda" (When the music became legend). This evening will see big names in the Italian music industry interpreting popular songs from Sanremo's history. These are Elisa, Carmen Consoli, Miguel Bosé, Edoardo Bennato, Riccardo Cocciante, Massimo Ranieri and Francesco Renga.

Friday night is duet night. Among the highlights are Povia who is duetting with Marco Masini; Prince Emanuele Filiberto & co. who are performing with none other than the coach of the Italian national football team, Marcello Lippi; and Valerio Scanu who will be interpreting his song with Alessandra Amoroso, who last year beat him in Amici and won the show.

Sanremo is renowned for inviting some of the most popular celebrities of the moment, and this year is no exception. Guests include Susan Boyle who became an instant, international star after her participation in last year's Britain's Got Talent; Queen Rania of Jordan, considered by some to be one of the world's most powerful women; US actress Michelle Rodriguez of Lost fame who recently starred in Avatar; German band Tokio Hotel and French DJ Bob Sinclair. There will also be a performance by the dancers of Paris's infamous club Moulin Rouge and on Saturday, a number of dancers from Michael Jackson's This Is It Tour are expected to pay a tribute to the late King of Pop.