Italy's popular Sanremo song
festival that kicks off on Tuesday won't be political, its
artistic director Caludio Baglioni said Monday.
"It will not be a political festival, not in the sense that
we would think about", said Baglioni, one of the country's
greatest singers and song-writers who is the festival's artistic
director for the second consecutive year.
The 69th edition of the festival "will be based on songs", he
said.
The musical event, which wraps up on Saturday, is "the
hardest thing that ever happened in my life", Baglioni also told
a press conference on the eve of opening night.
This year, Baglioni said he will duet with guests on songs
they are presenting or by other writers.
He also announced that three evenings will open with him
singing his songs and with the same team of dancers and
choreographies by Giluano Peparini that have been part of his
concert tours.
Celebrated singer-songwriter Riccardo Cocciante will be among
the guest stars at the Sanremo festival, the artistic director
said.
"Cocciante is among the last arrivals and will appear on the
third night," he announced.
Baglioni described Cocciante as an international star like
Andrea Bocelli marking the festival's popularity outside the
country.
Last month, Baglioni made headlines at a presentation of the
festival when he criticized Deputy Premier and Interior Minister
Matteo Salvini's refusal to receive 49 asylum seekers who had
been at sea on rescue ships run by NGOs Sea Watch and Sea Eye.
"There are millions of people in movement, it's not possible
to think that the problem can be solved by avoiding the arrival
of 40-50 people", Baglioni said during a press conference to
present the festival, calling the stance a "farce".
Salvini responded urging Baglioni to "sing so you'll get
over it".
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