Italy's Sanremo Music Festival proved its popularity on its second night on Wednesday, attracting an average of 10.748 million viewers and winning 49.91% of the TV audience share for State broadcaster RAI. Highlights included an interview with Oscar-winning movie star Nicole Kidman and a performance by Italian pop singer Eros Ramazzotti, 30 years after he won the festival competition.
Italian pianist and composer Ezio Bosso, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also put in a moving performance.
It was the best second-night showing for the much-loved music festival, which was launched in 1951, since the 2005 edition presented by Paolo Bonolis, which attracted 52.8% of the share on night two. Wednesday's show opened with head-to-head competitions between young singers. Many performers again appeared on stage with LGBT rainbow ribbons in a show of support for a civil unions bill currently before the Italian Senate that would extend to gay couples some of the rights and protections heterosexual married couples currently enjoy.
Prominent artists who displayed the ribbon at the event include Dolcenera, Patty Pravo and Ramazzotti.
"Children make a family, and family is fundamental, whatever type of family it is," said the pop star, describing his ribbon as "important".
"Everyone brings up their children in their own way: the fundamental thing is to give them the right education, the right teaching," said Ramazzotti, who has three children.
The display of support for the bill at Sanremo met with harsh criticism from rightwing, anti-immigrant Northern League leader Matteo Salvini on Thursday.
"If you don't sing with a rainbow ribbon they don't let you sing," Salvini said during a visit to Cagliari in Sardinia. "I respect everyone, but a child needs a mother and a father," he added.
RAI chief Antonio Campo Dall'Orto has defended the performers' choice to wear the ribbons in the face of criticism from conservatives, saying they are not "aggressive or disrespectful".
Kidman arrived notably behind schedule but made an impressive entrance in an elegant long black Armani dress.
During an interview with presenter Carlo Conti, she also opened up about what her 10-year marriage and family with musician Keith Urban mean to her.
"The family is the most simple thing that exists and holding your children close to you in bed is the sweetest thing.
I like to share everything with them. Anyone who has children knows what I'm talking about," she said.
Other guests at Sanremo on Wednesday night included British singer Ellie Goulding, the Hamburg quartet Salut Salon and Italian actor Nino Frassica.
The 2016 Festival also won almost half of Italian viewers on its opening night Tuesday, when Elton John and Laura Pausini were among the performers.
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