De Gregori wows Abu Dhabi

(ANSA) - Abu Dhabi, November 12 - Italian singer and song-writer Francesco De Gregori has performed in Abu Dhabi.
    De Gregori, 67, sang on Saturday night some of the most celebrated songs of his repertoire, including Rimmel, in front of 700 people at the theater of New York University in a unique event - his first concert in the United Arab Emirates.
    Catania entrepreneur Claudio Corbino invited the artist.
    Corbino took to Abu Dhabi, with his Diplomats' Association, over 500 students for the fifth edition of Change the World, an initiative that simulates UN activities. Half of the students hailed from Italy and the rest from 15 countries worldwide "My dream has come true", Corbino said, confessing he has been a great fan of De Gregori since a young age.
    The entrepreneur asked the artist to close the three-day event dedicated to the art of diplomacy to foster "dialogue, knowledge and cohabitation" organized at "the prestigious university training the new leaders of moderate Islam".
    De Gregori, who performed with the band that accompanied him during his recent two-month-long tour that included 29 concerts, opened the concert with 'Raggio di sole' (Sunray).
    He then performed some of his classics including 'Sempre e per sempre' (Forever and ever), Il cuoco di salò' (The chef of salò), 'Generale' (General), 'Buona note fiorellino' (Good night little flower), 'La donna cannone' (The cannon woman), 'Titanic' and 'Alice' with the public, mostly from the Italian community in the UAE, singing along and cheering.
    His closing song, 'Rimmel', was welcomed with a standing ovation.
    De Gregori also presented his Italian version of Bob Dylan's 'It's Not Dark Yet'.
    The artist saluted the public saying it was an "honor" to be at the gathering with his band as part of a project which he described as "beautiful, fascinating and noble".
    "We lent our music" to the event "and we are happy to have done it", he also said.
    He dedicated his first songs to the young people at the concert as well as the other 'ragazzi' (youths), his adult fans, including Italian Ambassador Liborio Stellino.
    De Gregori has just released his version of Neapolitan classic song 'Anema e core' (soul and heart), performed with wife Chicca, which was released in late October in a limited edition of 99 copies in vinyl with a cover designed by Mimmo Paladino.
    The limited-edition version of the album went on sale for over 1,000 euos.