La first edition of the Sanremo Festival took place from 29 to January 31 1951 since Sanremo Casino ballroom, in an Italy that was still rebuilding its cultural and economic identity after the war. The event began as a radio experiment, designed to boost tourism and the economy of the Ligurian city, rather than as a large musical event.
The Festival was hosted by Nuncio Filogamo, a very famous voice of Italian radio, who remained in the collective memory for his iconic greeting: "My dear friends near and far, good evening."The event was broadcast exclusively via radio from RAI and did not enjoy much attention from the newspapers of the time, but immediately obtained a unexpected ratings success.
One of the main peculiarities of this first edition was the very small number of performers: only three artists — Nilla Pizzi, Achille Togliani, and the Fasano Duo — took turns performing 20 songs, accompanied by the orchestra conducted by the maestro Cynical AngeliniA format far removed from today's, more intimate and almost convivial, with the audience seated at tables while listening to the music.
The winner was Nilla Pizzi with the song “Thanks for the flowers”, but her domination was total: the singer also conquered the second to “The moon dresses in silver” and third to “Serenade to No One”, becoming the only artist in the history of the Festival to occupy all three podium positions in the same edition.
The 1951 edition was a sober, almost experimental one, but it laid the foundations for an event destined to become one of the most enduring symbols of Italian popular cultureFrom a Casino room, among microphones and scores, a legend was born that still today continues to tell the story of the country through music.
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