"Volare... oh oh »: Sanremo ready to fly elsewhere?
Pericolo Imminente! Every year in February, it's the same ritual: for a week, you curl up under a blanket, turn on the TV and prepare for five evenings of drama, XXL Italian ballads and suspended moments. Sanremo is a bit like the mamma of all the competitions. A landmark. An institution. And perhaps soon... a memory?
Yes, the unthinkable is happening: RAI is seriously considering taking the festival away from its native Liguria from 2027. AttenzioneNo, it's a real move. A new look for a new city. And the reason? A financial tug-of-war between public broadcaster Rai and the municipality that has turned sour.
Sanremo, ciao ciao?
Sanremo and RAI are at loggerheads. The town is reportedly demanding a much larger financial contribution to host the event, as well as a share of RAI's advertising revenue. The Italian public broadcaster is not happy about this, and is openly considering alternatives. Mamma Mia! You can feel the tension rising, and the smell of change wafting over the Riviera!
As a result, the Italian public service is playing the "fine, we'll look elsewhere »" card. Coincidentally or opportunistically, Rai also seems to want to transform Sanremo into a travelling festival to combine the best of Italian music with the promotion of the country as a tourist destination. According to several Italian media, towns such as Sorrento, Viareggio, Rimini and others on the Adriatic are in talks to host the festival from 2027.
How about moving Christmas around?
It is true that under the impetus of Carlo Conti, the Festival's new Artistic Director, Sanremo seems to be looking for a touch of modernity. Behind this idea of a Sanremo on Tour, there's something very appealing. Each year (or even each week?), a new city. New atmospheres, a new setting, regional identities brought to the fore. A dolce vita version of Eurovision, and on paper : we buy.
But in reality? That's a completely different story. Sanremo is an institution! A monument to Italian popular culture, firmly established since 1951. Tampering with it is like postponing Christmas: you can do it... but you break something. You lose this little street in the centre of Sanremo, and the mythical Ariston Theatre, which has been playing host to Italy's crème de la crème since 1977. The town of Sanremo is well aware of this, and is clearly playing the tradition card, as if to challenge the RAI: "Vediamo se hai il coraggio... » (Go on, if you've got the guts!)
So, Sorrento 2027?
We're not there yet. The soap opera has only just begun. Maybe RAI is bluffing, just to apply pressure. Maybe Sanremo will manage to keep its jewel by reaching an agreement. Or maybe, in two years' time, we'll be watching the festival from a terrace on the Adriatic, sipping a spritz...
