Sanremo: Festival of Italian song

It was 29th Jan. 1951 and from Municipal Casinò Party Saloon in Sanremo, Nunzio Filogamo presented the first “Festival della canzone italiana” (Festival of Italian song), festival organized by RAI and by the city Municipal area.

At that time none would have never imagined that, after fifty years people could have spoken again about it, that it would have become an Italian event, belonging to Italy and its calendar.

For fifty years, at the end of the winter season, the Festival takes place, for fifty years hundreds of beautiful and bad songs come, songs that made our history, songs to be remembered and songs to be forgotten, hundreds of singers, guests, showmen that made a mirror of our habits and lifestyle.

Who can forget the songs that the biggest singers in the past and today again have given to us? Who can’t believe that Claudio Villa, Celentano, Gino Paoli, Bobby Solo, Jonny Dorelli, Albano and others left their signature for this big event?

A.Celentano         C. Villa                Albano                 N.Filogamo    G.Paoli                    B.Solo

The evolution of Italian music started with Sanremo, the evolution of our lifestyle was shown with the Festival, with its songs, polemics, problems and victories.

After 50’s and 60’s the Festival was submitted to hard problems, and in 1975 it found the worst condition with its only 45.000 albums sold. After that there was a long recovering till 90’s, now it is in a flat period… what about the next Festivals?

And now let’s discuss about the new 2002 edition. New artists, most of them are very young, but also big “glories” of Italian song honoured this edition with their songs. Between them we must remember Gino Paoli, Patty Pravo, Fausto Leali and Matia Bazar (new edition winners), rounded by groups made by young talents (Gazzosa, Alexia, Safina, Lollipop, etc…).

But analysing the lyrics of the songs from the 20 top stars, well known singers due to their previous successes, and 16 newcomers in competition, at their first presentation in order to have success and to acquire popularity, there are still a host of surprises, going well beyond the traditional themes of “love” and “aching hearts”. There’s divorce, cannibalism, sex and devilry. The hottest lyrics are without doubt in Alexia’s song.

And what would the Sanremo Festival be without a song dedicated to mothers? And this year’s maternal homage comes from Francesco Renga. Enrico Ruggeri recalls Sarajevo. Mino Reitano, at his seventh festival, sings the praises of humility. Then there’s love, love and still more love in this year’s songs from Gino Paoli, Matia Bazar and Fausto Leali and Luisa Corna. Fiordaliso recounts the broken love of a bitter and angry woman, while Nino D’Angelo looks on the brighter side of love and Michele Zarrillo is sweetly romantic. Patty Pravo and Loredana Berte’ also play with our emotions, while Mariella Nava goes ethnic. The newcomers’ section includes two famous sons: Marco Morandi, whose voice is remarkably similar to Gianni’s and Giacomo Celentano, whose voice is very much his own but whose song looks  to set tongues wagging. And perhaps this year’s most original band are the Sicilian minstrels Archinue’.

The 52nd edition of the “Festival di Sanremo” ends with the echo of the extraordinary Roberto Benigni’s performance, a well known Italian comic actor, who mad the most famous guests to be in a second stage, the teenagers star Britney Spears, The Corrs rocker and Cranberries, the Italian actor Raul Bova.

A jury  made by various ages people in the whole Italy is responsible for the decision on the Festival winner. The best lyric, music and arrangement are also rewarded.

Gino Paoli with “Un altro amore” won the Qualità Jury prize for the best lyric. Prize for the best music was assigned to Massimo Marcolini, author of “Dimmi come”, the song singed by Alexia. The recognition for the best arrangement was assigned to Davide Pinelli with “Il passo silenzioso della neve”, singed by Valentina Giovagnini, 2^nd in newcomers classification.

Daniele Silvestri with the song “Salirò” won the critic prize with 26 preferences, titled to Mia Martini. At the 2^nd position Alexia and Nino D’Angelo with 17 preferences, 4^th was Enrico Ruggeri (13 preferences). Daniele Silvestri also won the prize of “Sala Stampa RadioTV”. At the 2^nd position Francesco Renga.

Gino Paoli gained the 3rd position in Sanremo’s manifestation. Decision on the 2^nd position for Alexia was not completely shared by the whole audience, supposed to be the super favoured at the beginning of the edition. First position gained by Matia Bazar with “Messaggio d’amore”.

  The

Matia Bazar

Surely someone will continue to speak about it because Italy cannot speak about any other things during the week dedicated to Sanremo, stopping on the most famous city in Liguria full of people and cameras. And then it will be not a problem if CDs will be not sold because…

“...Sanremo is Sanremo”

Every year I’m interested in Sanremo Festival, particularly when my favourite singers take part  in the competition. I think that this event is going to lose its importance but I also think that it is a very good occasion to enhance and spread around  Italian songs.

Written by  Elena Calò (free6@itcgbianchi.mi.it)