The fourth day of Italy's
top Sanremo music festival Friday was scheduled to open in the
wake of the explusion of singer Riccardo Sinigallia for having
allegedly knowingly contravened event regulations that only
permit competition participants to present new pieces to the
jury.
The evening will open with key Italian music stars like
Gino Paoli and Fiorella Mannoia, a scattering of glitterati
actor and actresses like Enrico Brignano, Riccardo Scamarcio,
and Violante Placido.
An anticipated moment of the evening was Tommy Lee, of
Motley Crue fame, offering his personal rendition of Volare,
otherwise known as 'Nel blu dipinto di blu' crooned by one
Italy's most famous singers and songwriters Domenico Modugno on
the San Remo stage over half a century ago.
The song launched his international career, and many a star
including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis
Armstrong, Barry White, David Bowie and the Gypsy Kings have
since personalized the song in their own performances.
The Sanremo festival has launched many a musical career
including those of Andrea Bocelli, Gigliola Cinquetti and Eros
Ramazzotti.
State television company RAI in its role of event organizer
delivered letters to Sinigallia and to the music production
company he works with, Sugar, in which the rationale between the
explusion was explained.
His song, 'Prima di andare via' or 'Before going away', has
reportedly been already been presented to an audience in June
2013, according to a video that is currently in Internet
circulation of which the organizers have a copy of.
The musician has 24 hours to come up with a credible
defence.
The festival has in past years generated controversy over
its public funding, as it has never made a profit in the over
half a century that it has been run.
Viewing figures for Italy's popular Sanremo Song Festival
improved Thursday night this week, after a Wednesday-night slump
triggered a high-profile media post mortem and criticism of the
use of state funds at a time of general economic crisis.
This year, RAI says it expects the show that mixes glitz,
kitsch, evergreens and an occasional breath of fresh air will
rake in 20.2 million euros in advertising, plus 600,000 euros in
ticket sales by the time it climaxes Saturday night.
The timing of this year's festival poses some difficulties
as it coincides with the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Champions League soccer matches also distracted attention
Wednesday night - while there was only the lesser fare of the
Europa League Thursday.
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