Sanremo fest 'to woo ABBA'

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 11 - Italy's annual music extravaganza, the Sanremo Song Festival, is set to try and persuade legendary Swedish pop group ABBA to get back together and perform at this year's fest, sources said Sunday.
    Bringing a reunited ABBA to the stage of the Ariston Theatre in the northwestern riviera town is one of the coups that organiser and host Amadeus is considering, they said.
    The mooted ABBA reunion for Sanremo was the subject of a weekend radio show put out by the RAI state broadcaster which each year broadcasts the Sanremo fest in Italy and abroad.
    However, Amadeus dampened enthusiasm for the improbable reunion by saying "there are many desires and inventions circulating.
    You'll know from me when guests become official".
    ABBA, who broke up in 1982 after selling over 400 million discs worldwide with hits such as Waterloo and Mamma Mia, have consistently denied rumours of a stage reunion.
    However, they got back together in the studio to record a reunion album in 2018.
    The Swedish music legends, who also had other platinum-selling hits like Dancing Queen, Fernando», Honey Honey, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! and The Winner Takes It All, are now in their early 70s.
    Earlier this year they topped a British poll of most popular Eurovision winners, with their 1974 hit Waterloo. (ANSA).