Sanremo, the best known Italian song contest, is turning 70 this week. Celebrations start today as the five-day festival kicks off with a new artistic director and host, Amadeus.
Performing this year are a host of new names and some well-established singers.
A number of contestants come from talent shows, such as Amici’s Elodie, Giordana Angi, Alberto Urso and Riki and the Italian X Factor’s Enrico Nigiotti and Anastasio. Most of them are setting foot on the Ariston stage for the first time.
Another newcomer is Elettra Lamborghini, the popular MTV ‘twerking queen’ who was a judge on the last edition of The X Factor.
But perhaps standing out in the line-up are two past Sanremo winners, Francesco Gabbani and Raphael Gualazzi.
Both of them represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest and placed well: Gabbani finished ninth with Occidentalis Karma in 2017, while Gualazzi placed second with his Follia d’amore (Madness of Love) in 2011.
Other contestants include Anastasio, Achille Lauro, Levante, rappers Rancore and Junior Cally, and band Pinguini Tattici Nucleari.
Performing this year are a host of new names
More familiar names are those of Marco Masini, Irene Grandi, Paolo Jannacci, Michele Zarrillo, Tosca, Piero Pelù and Morgan, who will be accompanied by Bugo. The festival also marks the return of veteran singer Rita Pavone, who first participated in the festival in 1969.
The ‘Nuove proposte’ or newcomers section is made up of young singers chosen through a number of competitions such as Sanremo Young, Area Sanremo and Sanremo Giovani.
These are Leo Gassman, Tecla Insolia, Fasma, Fadi, Eugenio in Via di Gioia, Marco Sentieri, Gabriella Martinelli e Lula and Matteo Faustini.
The festival can also be considered a variety show and annually hosts a number of well-known guests from different spheres, including theatre and politics.
This year, singer Tiziano Ferro and showman Fiorello should be present throughout the five-day festival.
Actress Monica Bellucci is set to make an appearance together with many other Italian actors and director Roberto Benigni.
Albano and Romina Power may perform together at the festival after a 25-year absence. And among the international chart toppers who will be performing are Lewis Capaldi and Dua Lipa.
Amadeus will also be accompanied on stage by various female guests, including Antonella Clerici, Diletta Leotta, Mara Venier, Sabrina Salerno, Emma D’Aquino, Laura Chimenti, Francesca Sofia Novello, Georgina Rodriguez, Rula Jebreal and Alketa Vejsiu.
As regards the festival’s format, 10 of the 20 ‘campioni’ or well-established singers and four nuove proposte, will perform tonight. Tomorrow, the rest of the campioni and nuove propose will take to the stage.
On Thursday, the 20 established singers will perform legendary Italian songs with Italian or international guests. Friday will see all the established singers perform once more and the winner of the Nuove proposte category will be proclaimed.
The established singers will perform for one last time on Saturday, when the winner will be announced.