Sanremo music fest rules changed, big names-young together

(ANSA) - Rome, July 24 - Sanremo Music Festival Director Caludio Baglioni has changed the rules at the iconic event so that big-name stars and newcomers are no longer put into two separate categories. Instead of Sanremo having 'Big' and 'New Proposals' groups, there will be a single category in which the two winners of a new contest for newcomers will be inserted, sources said Tuesday.
    The new contest, 'Sanremo Giovani' will take place from December 17 to 21.
    It will run over six days in two prime-time shows and four pre-evening ones, sources said.
    "I'm rasing the bar so as to achieve new records," said Baglioni, who led a particularly successful edition earlier this year.
    The 69th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival will take place on 5-9 February 2019.