While all eyes are on the host city race for Eurovision 2022, this week we received more news about Italy’s iconic Festival di Sanremo. Broadcaster RAI this week announced that the dates for Sanremo 2022, which will take place from the 1st through the 5th of February.
Sanremo Returns for Its 72nd Year
The 2022 edition of Sanremo will see it return to its traditional February time slot. Last year’s contest was of course delayed to March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That edition saw Maneskin take the crown with “Zitti e buoni” before going on to win ESC in May.
In addition to the return of the traditional dates, Amadeus will return to host for the third consecutive time. He will also return as the artistic director for the show.
CEO of RAI1 Stefano Coletta stated in the announcement that “the musical journey undertaken by Amadeus marked an important cultural change in the history of the Festival”, noting that RAI plans to continue in this direction of innovation.
Sanremo has traditionally been used to select Italy’s Eurovision act since their return to ESC in 2011. The winner of Sanremo is given the right of first refusal to go to Eurovision. Every Sanremo winner since 2017 has represented Italy at the contest, as is expected to be the case in 2022.
Sanremo pre-dates Eurovision by five years and is one of the inspirations for the ESC we know and love.
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
Italy has participated in the contest 46 times since it began in 1956. In addition to 2021, they also won in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti’s “Non ho l’eta” and in 1990 with Toto Cutugno’s “Insieme: 1992”.
Italy took an extended break from the contest from 1994 to 2011 (returning once in 1997). They became a member of the Big Five upon their return and have only missed the top 10 twice since. They finished second twice: in 2011 (with Raphael Gualazzi’s “Madness of Love”) and in 2019 (with Mahmood’s “Soldi”). Italy also notched a third place in 2015 with Il Volo’s “Grande Amore”, which won the televote.
Perhaps the most iconic Italian Eurovision entry is Domenico Modugno’s “Nel blu, dipinto di blu” – better known as “Volare” – which placed third in 1958. It was a success in the American charts and won the first ever Grammy award for Song of the Year.
Are you excited about the return of Sanremo? Who would you like to see participate? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
News Source: RAI
Photo Source: Ruetir, RAI
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