The Sanremo Festival host and artistic director Amadeus (R) with Italian singer and Sanremo Festival co-host Gianni Morandi (L) attend a press conference at the 73th Sanremo Italian Song Festival, Sanremo, Italy, 06 February 2020.
The ’73rd Festival Della Canzone Italiana’ music festival will run from 07 to 11 February 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not appear on a video link on the last night of this week’s Sanremo Song Festival Saturday, as previously announced, but will only send a written message to the annual music extravaganza after protests against his appearance at the fest, prime time entertainment chief at Rai TV, Stefano Coletta, said Monday.
The message will be read out by host and organizer Amadeus, Coletta said.
Coletta said Rai had been in constant touch with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk over the controversial appearance, which many Italian politicians said was inappropriate for a light entertainment event.
Other commentators said it risked trivializing the war against the Russian invasion.
Via EPA-EFE/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI
