Landmark first as pop music festival is honoured as national cultural heritage.Italy's president Sergio Mattarella on Friday held a historic first audience at the Quirinale Palace for the presenters and 30 competing artists of the upcoming Sanremo Music Festival.The event marked the first time in the event’s nearly eight-decade history that the entire cast has been received by the head of state at his official residence, in an important recognition of Italian pop music as a part of the nation's cultural heritage. The meeting, held less than two weeks before the festival kicks off on 24 February, signals a significant shift in how Italy’s highest institutions view the annual event at the Ariston Theatre which will celebrate its 76th edition this year. Shared heritage Addressing the 30 contestants, along with artistic director Carlo Conti and co-host Laura Pausini, the president spoke of the festival’s enduring power to unite the country, paying tribute to the competing artists for making "a contribution to the cultural life of our country, to society, to the life of our country." Mattarella, who attended the first night of the festival in person in 2023, shared personal memories of the 1951 edition when he was 10 years old, recalling the "unmistakable voice" of the first presenter, Nunzio Filogamo, and the way the country huddled around radios to listen. The atmosphere in the palace was a blend of formal protocol and excitementt, with the artists uniting to sing a chorus of Adriano Celentano’s classic Azzurro in front of the president. Looking towards Sanremo 2026 Conti announced that this edition will be entirely dedicated to the legendary TV presenter Pippo Baudo, who hosted a record 13 editions of the event, calling him the creator of the modern festival as it is known today.   Conti also revealed that the festival will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic with an important guest on stage: a 106-year-old woman who was among the first women to vote in the landmark referendum on 2 June 1946 when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in favour of a republic.   Institutional recognition   A visibly moved Pausini told reporters outside the palace: "The most beautiful thing was when Mattarella told us that popular music is an important part of our country's culture", adding: "In 33 years [of my career], I've rarely seen institutions express themselves in this way."   Photo Quirinale 

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella on Friday held a historic first audience at the Quirinale Palace for the presenters and 30 competing artists of the upcoming Sanremo Music Festival. The event marked the first time in the event’s nearly eight-decade history that the entire cast has been received by the head of state at his official residence, in an important recognition of Italian pop music as a part of the nation's cultural heritage. The meeting, held less than two weeks before the festival kicks off on 24 February, signals a significant shift in how Italy’s highest institutions view the annual event at the Ariston Theatre which will celebrate its 76th edition this year. Shared heritage Addressing the 30 contestants, along with artistic director Carlo Conti and co-host Laura Pausini, the president spoke of the festival’s enduring power to unite the country, paying tribute to the competing artists for making "a contribution to the cultural life of our country, to society, to the life of our country." Mattarella, who attended the first night of the festival in person in 2023, shared personal memories of the 1951 edition when he was 10 years old, recalling the "unmistakable voice" of the first presenter, Nunzio Filogamo, and the way the country huddled around radios to listen. The atmosphere in the palace was a blend of formal protocol and excitementt, with the artists uniting to sing a chorus of Adriano Celentano’s classic Azzurro in front of the president. Looking towards Sanremo 2026