This weekend, Nice-Première headed to Sanremo for the 56th Italian Song Festival, held from February 27 to March 4: a musical event befitting this city with a strong personality.
On Saturday morning, under a clear azure sky, we arrived by train at our Transalpine neighbors: Heading straight to Piazza Colombo, the main square of Sanremo where a large stage eagerly awaited its virtuosos. However, at this early hour, there were no artists in sight. Along the way, we indulged in a “Pro-Active” strawberry yogurt to start our Italian day.
For the French, Sanremo is as renowned as Ventimiglia for its famous market where counterfeit goods are mixed and exchanged under the watchful eyes of the “polizia.” Nice-Première couldn’t resist the call of shopping, sneaking a few moments to wander around these stalls (Shh, don’t tell Franck). But in the land of fashion, how can one resist?
At 12:30, the church bells rang! Our stomachs were crying out for food. On the menu? Pizza, of course!
At 1:30 pm, with full stomachs, we were ready to plunge into the festival atmosphere.
In front of the Ariston Theatre, a large crowd of onlookers waited for the stars behind safety barriers. Indeed, big names from the international scene (Andrea Bocelli, Eros Ramazzotti, Anastacia, Laura Pausini) were announced alongside Italian artists. Ah! This scene of an eager and equipped crowd reminded me of what our “Costa Azzurra” knows so well during the Cannes Festival.
On Piazza Borea D’Olmo, Italians from 7 to 77 were swept up in the festive mood, a spirit this warm-blooded population excels in generating. People danced, sang, played, and even enjoyed a little glass of white wine offered at a stand. The Italian charm was at its peak.
And what about the singers who enchanted the hearts in the square? Jazz, soul, rap, variety—a medley of musical styles seasoned with romantic lyrics was offered to the spectators. How could one not be captivated by this language? Let’s not forget that singing is a pivotal element of Italian identity and always appeals to a very broad audience. Throughout this week, the artists shared this treasure with their fellow citizens. “On this point, the reputation of Italians is well-known. Even those who seem not to sing carry on this legacy in their own way. A being who sings, even if voiceless, signifies that life is beautiful. It’s their way of communicating, of connecting with those around them, with the universe.”
A crowd gathered. Let’s take a closer look. It’s Antonello, a nominated singer at this festival, causing hysteria! Photos and autographs inundated this young man who was available for his fans. During the festival in Sanremo, it’s not rare to cross paths in the alleys resembling those of old Nice with an artist flanked by bodyguards. We would even admit that during this day, we encountered Luciano Pavarotti, or rather someone who had taken on the guise of this tenor.
The Italian press was also in full presence: radio, TV, newspapers. They are all here because the “Festival della canzone italiana” has always represented an extraordinary media event. But where is the French press? There were hardly any, except for France Bleu Azur, and we didn’t see any others. Let’s remember that many international stars have been discovered in Sanremo such as Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazotti, among others! Well, let’s close this digression, as we are not here to criticize.
Below are the winners of this 56th festival:
Victory “del Festival di Sanremo”:
Vorrei avere il becco – Giuseppe Povia
Female category:
Essere una donna – Anna Tatangelo
Com’è straordinaria la vita – DolceNera
Male category:
Vorrei avere il becco – Giuseppe Povia
L’alfabeto degli amanti – Michele Zarrillo
Group category:
Dove si va – I Nomadi
Svegliarsi la mattina – Zero Assoluto
Youth category:
Sole negli occhi – Riccardo Maffoni
Che bella gente – Simone Cristicchi
It’s 6:00 pm, alas, we must return. What a pity, we would have liked to stay longer to enjoy an evening filled with Italian flair. But the train won’t wait for us, we must go!
See you next year! In the meantime, we invite you throughout this week to discover the Italian singers we encountered during our Transalpine adventures in Sanremo.
Barbara D and Audrey Bollaro
