Fabio Fazio and Italian comedian Luciana Littizzetto will present the 63d edition of the Sanremo Song Festival that begins tonight and goes on until February 16.
This edition will be Fazio’s third Sanremo after presenting the festival in 1999 and 2000. He chose Laetitia Casta and Renato Dulbecco as co-presenters for his first Sanremo and was joined in 2000 by Luciano Pavarotti, Teo Teocoli and Ines Sastre.
Even this year the festival will feature two different competitions, one for established Italian artists and one dedicated to newcomers.
The Established Artists section will include 14 artists competing with two songs each, but only one (the one preferred by the jury and the public) will remain in the competition and will be performed on the final evening on Saturday.
This year, the list of contestants includes musicians who are currently at the top of the Italian charts like Chris Brown and Malika Ayane and two winners of "X Factor Italia" Marco Mengoni and Chiara Galiazzo, who won the sixth edition of the talent show just a couple of months ago.
Artistic director Fazio chose to give space also to the Italian independent scene with Almamegretta and Marta sui Tubi.
Here is the complete list:
Almamegretta – «Mamma non lo sa» and «Onda che vai»
Annalisa – «Non so ballare» and «Scintille»
Malika Ayane – «Niente» and «E se poi»
Chiara – «L’esperienza dell’amore» and «Il futuro che sarà»
Simone Cristicchi – «Mi manchi» and «La prima volta»
Elio e le Storie Tese – «Dannati forever» and «La canzone mononota»
Max Gazzè – «Sotto casa» and «I tuoi maledettissimi impegni»
Raphael Gualazzi – «Sai (ci basta un sogno)» and «Senza ritegno»
Marta sui Tubi – «Dispari» and «Vorrei»
Marco Mengoni – «Bellissimo» and «L’essenziale»
Modà – «Come l’acqua dentro il mare» and «Se si potesse non morire»
Simona Molinari e Peter Cincotti – «Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide» and «La felicità»
Maria Nazionale – «Quando non parlo» and «È colpa mia»
Daniele Silvestri – «A bocca chiusa» and «Il bisogno di te»
The Newcomers' section will feature eight songs performed by debuting artists and the winner will be announced on Friday.
As in 2011 and in 2012, an internal commission will select the artist representing Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 among all the competing acts.
Italian audiences will be tuning in for the extravaganza: music, fashion, entertainment and awards. But you don’t have to be in Italy to view the annual affair. To see international broadcasts, check the Rai dedicated website or the Rai programming schedule by selecting your geographic area. The festival will also be broadcast on Radio1 Rai.
The Sanremo Festival is always an Italian entertainment experience, and with special secret guests expected this year, there's no excuse for missing the singing or the spectacle!
