Sanremo 2026: Carlo Conti and Laura Pausini Announce Start of 76th Italian Song Festival

The atmosphere in the seaside resort has reached its peak following the official press conference, during which Carlo Conti did not hide his emotion, announcing a return to traditional festival values. The artistic director emphasized that this year's event will be a tribute to the style introduced by Pippo Baudo. He will be joined on the Teatro Ariston stage by world-famous singer Laura Pausini, who is celebrating her return to the place where she began her career years ago. The city has already been decorated with special murals commemorating this year's hosts and competition participants. Financially, the festival remains a machine generating gigantic revenues. It is estimated that advertising revenue for the national broadcaster Rai will exceed last year's record, without burdening the budget from the television license fee. Analyses indicate the growing market value of the event, which translates into high fees for artists and special guests, although the main costs are traditionally covered by sponsorship deals and commercial advertising blocks. The Sanremo Festival was born in 1951 in the city casino, and since 1977 it has been held at the Teatro Ariston. Over the decades, it has become a cultural foundation of Italian identity, serving as direct inspiration for the establishment of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. The voting system in this edition is based on three pillars: the press jury, television viewers, and the radio jury. The list of favorite names changes dynamically after the dress rehearsals, which received very mixed reviews. While Ditonellapiaga's performance was rated as captivating, established performers like Francesco Renga struggled with visible vocal fatigue. Simultaneously, millions of fans are finalizing their teams in FantaSanremo, which has become an integral part of the event's digital promotion. „Sarà un Festival nel nome di Pippo Baudo, il maestro che ci ha insegnato ad amare questo palco.” (It will be a Festival in the name of Pippo Baudo, the maestro who taught us to love this stage.) — Carlo Conti Organizers are taking care of every detail, from the technical sound side to the physical condition of the artists, which experts compare to marathon preparations. Beyond the main stage, festival life will unfold at Piazza Borea d'Olmo and aboard a cruise ship, where concerts will be hosted by Max Pezzali. All of Italy awaits Tuesday evening, which traditionally gathers a record audience estimated at several million viewers in front of their screens.