The 2017 Sanremo music festival
got off to a flying start on Tuesday, attracting an average of
11.374 million viewers, 50.4% of the audience share.
This was the highest level in 12 years, RAI 1 director Andrea
Fabiano told the press Wednesday.
Last year's festival at the Ariston theatre in the Ligurian
seaside resort attracted 11.134 million viewers on the opening
night, or 49.48% of the share.
The show is being hosted by Carlo Conti for the third
consecutive year, this time in tandem with veteran TV presenter
Maria De Filippi.
She is appearing for free on State broadcaster RAI with the
blessing of her usual employer, ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's
private network Mediaset.
Tuesday's show featured a moving tribute to firefighters
engaged in the recent earthquake and snow emergencies in central
Italy including the avalanche that killed 29 people at a
mountain resort hotel, which drew 16,113,000 viewers.
This was the second peak after the 16,131,000 viewers
registered while Italian heartthrob actor Raoul Bova presented
26-year-old competitor Elodie.
The audience share peaked at 57.1% towards the end of the
evening with the performance by Puerto Rican singer and gay icon
Ricky Martin, which also had Conti dancing on stage.
Another highlight was a duet by Tiziano Ferro and Carmen
Consoli, two of Italian pop's biggest names.
Meanwhile, Federico Braschi, a contestant in the New
Proposals category, drew fire from right-wing and anti-immigrant
Northern League leader Matteo Salvini over his song 'Nel mare ci
sono i coccodrilli' (There are crocodiles in the sea) inspired
by the true-life story of the same title by Fabio Geda about an
Afghani immigrant to Italy.
"You like the invasion by illegal immigrants? Take them all
into your own home!" Salvini wrote in a post on his Facebook
page.
His comment came in response to an interview given by Braschi
in which he said "for migrants the only solution is to welcome
them".
"The festival is a real marathon for everyone: Carlo is
always very calm, I wasn't very calm, I tried to be myself,
that's all," said De Filippi, thanking her Mediaset employer for
'lending' her to RAI.
"On Saturday (the closing night) I will say goodbye with
gratitude, pleased to have been here," she continued.
"Yesterday evening I had a good time and I hope to continue
doing so, but I don't want to present the festival (on my own).
It belongs to RAI and my future is not in RAI," added De
Filippi, who was described by Conti as providing "added value".
On Wednesday the artistic director also ruled out presenting
Sanremo for a fourth time.
"I'm not just sure, I'm absolutely sure," he said when asked
if he still intended not to present the festival again.
"Even more so with these numbers. Getting 49.90% (of share on
the opening night) the first year was sensational, the second
ear with 49.93% was even more sensational. This year with
50.37% is incredible.
"I'm proud of the work done, but enough is enough".
The second night will open with New Proposals, while Bianca
Atzei is first up in the second batch of Big competitors.
Guest appearances include Hiroki Hara, Francesco Totti, Keanu
Reeves, Robbie Williams, Giorgia, Biffy Clyro, and the
Insinna-Cirilli-Brignano trio.
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