(By Laura Clarke).
The 64th edition of Italy's
storied Sanremo music festival was set to kick off Tuesday night
with pundits predicting success despite a flap over gay rights,
the looming presence of foul-mouthed comedian-turned politician
Beppe Grillo and a teary pre-fest press conference by the wives
of two marines trapped in a judicial quagmire in India.
The prime-time television extravaganza broadcast live by
state broadcaster RAI 1 from the Ariston Theatre in the Ligurian
coastal town will see performances by 14 big names in Italian
popular music and eight newcomers: Bianca, Vadim, Veronica De
Simone, Filippo Graziani, Rocco Hunt, The Niro, Zibba and
Diodato.
Big names to look out for over the five-day event include
Arisa, who won first place in the newcomers' section in the 2009
edition of the festival with her entry Sincerità, Giusy Ferreri,
Raphael Gualazzi, Cristiano de André and Antonella Ruggiero.
In addition, Friday evening will be dedicated to songs that
have made Italian musical history, performed by renowned singers
and/or personalities from the world of show business.
As always, the music programme will be punctuated with
appearances by special guests from the world of music and
beyond.
This year the line-up includes French actress and model
Letitia Casta, Yusuf Islam, the British singer-songwriter
formerly known as Cat Stevens, Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo
Nutini, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, Irish
singer-songwriter Damien Rice, American-Canadian
singer-singwriter Rufus Wainwright, Belgian hip hop artist
Stromae and Luciano Ligabue.
On Tuesday, the openly gay Wainwright defended his
appearance after criticism by members of a Catholic youth
organisation amid controversy surrounding a Wainwright song
which they said was "blasphemous".
"His song Gay Messiah ... is not meant to be 'blasphemous'
as it is not a portrayal of Jesus or any religious figure in the
canon of the Catholic Church but a metaphor for a world where
gay people enjoy the same rights as heterosexual people which
judging by the reactions in Italy is still very far away," said
a spokesperson in a statement.
"It is sad that a lot of the members of the Catholic Church
seem to trail far behind their leader Pope Francis in his
respect and acceptance for women, gay people and other
minorities," the statement said.
On Monday RAI 1 Director Giancarlo Leone said Wainwright's
appearance was not intended to cause a scandal.
"The difference between commercial television and RAI is
exactly in the fact that we have Rufus Wainwright and the others
do not.
"We have no intention of creating controversy using this
singer, who was, among other things, defined by Elton John as
the greatest songwriter in the world".
Wainwright was scheduled to perform two songs, John
Lennon's 'Across the Universe' and his own 'Cigarettes and
Chocolate Milk', but not the controversial 'Gay Messiah'.
Meanwhile organisers were bracing for the announced
'participation' of ex-comic Grillo, leader of the
anti-establishment Five-Star Movement, who said he would be
staging a protest both outside and inside the Ariston during the
opening night.
Though it was unclear what the firebrand leader had in
mind, organisers feared contestations along the lines of those
that interrupted a performance by satirical comedian Maurizio
Crozza in 2013, causing the artist to abandon the stage.
Crozza is scheduled to return to the Ariston stage this
year for the final evening on Saturday.
And the wives of two Italian servicemen facing terror
charges in India for allegedly killing two Indian fishermen
during an anti-piracy mission in 2012 used a pre-festival press
conference to reiterate their trust in the institutions and
raise public awareness of their partners' plight.
"We have never lost faith in Italy's institutions," said
Vania Ardito, whose husband Salvatore Girone is accused together
with Massimiliano Latorre of killing fishermen Valentine (aka
Gelastine) and Ajesh Binki after allegedly mistaking them for
pirates and opening fire on their fishing trawler while guarding
the privately owned Italian-flagged oil-tanker MT Enrica Lexie
off the coast of Kerala on February 15, 2012.
"This is the third government to take office but our trust
remains," she continued in reference to the team currently being
put together by Premier-designate Matteo Renzi following the
resignation of Democratic Party (PD) colleague Enrico Letta last
week.
A technocrat government led by Mario Monti was in office
when the incident happened.
"They are the ones who must bring Salvatore and
Massimiliano home".
The fest is being hosted for the second year running by
television presenters Fabio Fazio and comedian Luciana
Littizzetto.
Last year they faced question marks that their left-leaning
politics might stray onto the stage but even their sternest
critics were disarmed by madcap Littizzetto's barnstorming
comedy routines and Fazio's polished performance as MC.
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