Sanremo 2004 gets underway

Simona Ventura co-hosts annual Italian music festival that features original songs and stars

This weekend showcases the 2004 edition of the Sanremo music festival, one of the most prestigious and oldest in the world. Transmitted to television sets worldwide, this international competition featured 20 young Italian singers.
With 22 songs selected by Tony Renis, the tunes this year have forgone the traditional pop/love angle for the more experimental and independent. The only song that resembles some of the festival's past tunes is "Sei la mia vita" by young Pugliese singer Mario Rosini.
Among the most anticipated tunes are that "Sei un miracolo" by Daniele Groff; "Guardami negli occhi" by Paolo Meneguzzi; "Ore piccole" by Neffa; "Crudele" by Mario Venuti"; and "Solo Sogno" by Pacifico.
Melody is that epicentre of the Mogol-Bella tune "Quando l'aria mi sfiora", that Massimo Modugno will sing with the Gypsy Kings. Another old-timer is Adriano Pappalardo, who'll be presenting "Nessun consiglio." Certain to rock the Aniston theatre is Andrea Mingardi's "E la musica," to be performed with the Blues Brothers.
On the slower side there's Marco Masini's "L'uomo volante," Bungaro's "Guardastelle," Stefano Picchi's "Generale," and Db Boulevard who'll have the Rolling Stone's Bill Wyman playing onstage with them.
Romance will be represented by Brazilian Morris Albert, in a duet with Mietta for the song "Cuore." Among the favourites is Dj Francesco with his "Era bellissimo."
New is Piotta who brings "Ladro di te;" 16-year-old Andre with the song "Il nostro amore;" Veruska with "Un angelo legato al palo;" Linda with "Aria sole terra e mare;" and Omar Pedrini with "Lavoro Inutile."
Accompanying Renis on stage is Simona Ventura who'll introduce several international guests including soccer players Francesco Totti and David Beckham; politicians Francesco Cossiga and Giulio Andreotti; sports heroes Valentino Rossi and Massimiliano Rosolino; and American movie stars George Clooney, Bruce Willis, Al Pacino, and Richard Gere (none of whom are confirmed).
Sofia Loren is a confirmed guest and she's planning a duet with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Organizers are also hoping to see Catherine Zeta Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman with fashions by Cavalli, Ferre, Armani and Dolce e Gabbana.
The Sanremo Music Festival was the brainstorm of Sanremo florist Amilcare Rambaldi, who proposed the event in 1946 in order to lift the city from its post-war depression. But it wasn't until 1951 that Pier Busseti, the manager of the city's casino, took the proposal seriously.
The first Festival took place January 29-31, 1951 at the Sanremo casino and was broadcast via radio. There were only three contestants performing a total of 20 songs, and the winner was Nilla Pizzi with "Grazie dei Fiori." The following year the singers in competition were five, and Pizzi again won with an extraordinary top three finishes: "Vola colomba", "Papaveri e papere" and "Una donna prega".
As the years went by the number of participants slowly began to double and the winners became national hits: 1953 Flo' Sandon's and Carla Boni's "Viale d'autunno"; 1954 Gino Latilla's "Tutte le mamme"; 1955 (first live television broadcast) Claudio Villa and Tullio Pane's "Buongiorno tristezza"; 1956 Franca Raimondi's "Aprite le finestre"; 1957 Claudio Villa and Nunzio Gallo's "Corde della mia chitarra"; 1958 Domenico Modugno's "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (which would become known as the legendary "Volare"); Modugno, along with Johnny Dorelli, won in 1959 with "Piove".
In 1960 it was "Romantica" sung by singer Renato Rascel and "screamer" Tony Dallara; and though in 1961 Luciano Tajoli's "Al di là" won first prize, the Festival would be known as the singer-songwriter forum thanks to the participation of Paoli, Gaber, Bindi, and Celentano. In 1962 rivals Claudio Villa and Domenico Modugno united and won with "Addio... addio"; 1963 it's Renis and Pericoli's "Uno per tutte". 1964 is the year 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti becomes a star with "Non ho l'età (per amarti)"; 1965 it's Bobby Solo's "Se piangi se ridi"; and 1966 Cinquetti with "Dio come ti amo".
1967 sees tragedy after Luigi Tenco, who sings "Ciao amore ciao", kills himself after discovering he's been eliminated. It's Villa, with Iva Zanicchi, who wins again, with "Non pensare a me". Hosting the festival for the first time will be Pippo Baudo in 1968, who'll have as special guest Louis Armstrong. The winner that year will be Brazilian Roberto Carlos and Sergio Endrigo with "Canzone per te"; Stevie Wonder makes an appearance in 1969, with Iva Zanicchi and Bobby Solo's "Zingara" winning; and in 1970, amidst controversy, Adriano Celentano and Claudia Mori win with "Chi non lavora non fa l'amore".
The 70s were years of change for Festival organizers who couldn't ignore the younger generation's cry for less "traditional" fare. In 1971 Nicola Di Bari wins with "Il cuore è uno zingaro", and wins again the following year with "I giorni dell'arcobaleno". In 1973 Peppino di Capri wins with "Un grande amore e niente più"; 1974 it's Zanicchi again with "Ciao, cara, come stai?"; and in 1975, considered to be the worst organized edition in its history, wins Gilda with "Ragazza del sud".
In 1976 Di Capri sees victory again with "Non lo faccio più"; in 1977 the winner is a band, Homo Sapiens with "Bella da morire"; 1978 sees mostly debuts, with winner Matia Bazar with "...E dirsi ciao". New ideas are introduced in 1979, featuring winner Mino Vergnaghi with "Amare"; and 1980 nutty Roberto Benigni is host and hands the prize over to Toto Cutugno for "Solo noi."
The '80s sees new categories, and in 1981 it's Alice that wins with "Per Elisa"; in 1982 it's Riccardo Fogli with "Storie di tutti i giorni"; 1983 it's Toto Cotugno with "L'italiano"; 1984 (the first year featuring the Giovani section with winner Eros Ramazzotti with "Una terra promessa") wins Al Bano and Romina's "Ci sarà". In 1985 I Ricchi e Poveri win with "Se m'innamoro"; and Ramazzotti wins in 1986 with "Adesso tu."
In 1987, during the final evening of the festival, the death of Claudio Villa is announced, but that doesn't stop the Gianni Morandi-Umberto Tozzi-Enrico Ruggeri trio from celebrating a win with their "Gotha"; in 1988 Massimo Ranieri wins with "Perdere l'amore"; in 1989 Anna Oxa and Fausto Leali win with "Ti lascerò"; in 1990 the Pooh with "Uomini soli". Riccardo Cocciante wins in 1991 "Se stiamo insieme"; in 1992 it's Luca Barbarossa with "Portami a ballare"; in 1993 Renato Zero wins with "Ave Maria"; 1994, the final year with Pippo Baudo, victory goes to Aleandro Baldi for "Passerà" with Andrea Bocelli making his debut in the Giovani section; in 1995 Giorgia wins with "Come saprei"; in 1996 Ron wins "Vorrei incontrarti fra cent'anni"; Jalisse wins in 1997 with "Fiumi di parole"; in 1998 it's Annalisa Minotti with "Senza te o con te"; and in 1999 Anna Oxa won with "Senza Pieta."
In the year 2000, Cocciante won with "Se Stiamo Insieme;" the following year Enrico Ruggeri won with "Mistero;" in 2002 Aleandro Baldi wins with "Passera;" and last year Giorgia wins with "Come saprei."

Publication Date: 2004-02-29
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3683