On Wednesday Italy’s TvZoom reported that the municipality of Sanremo had requested that RAI push back the already pushed-back Sanremo Festival to the end of April. Citing the recent surge in coronavirus infections, the site reported that authorities wanted the show delayed by more than a month “when the temperatures are likely to be higher and when the sought-after vaccines may already be in circulation.”
Well on Thursday — just a day later — broadcaster Rai hit back, saying it’s all fake news. Here’s what Claudio Fasulo, the deputy director of Rai 1, had to say, as reported by La Repubblica.
“We’re sailing uncharted waters like everyone else on this planet, but for the moment everything is confirmed. There are rumors every day about the dates of Sanremo and we understand the issue is at the center of people’s attention. But there is nothing new: we’ll put the hat on the first week of March, from the 2nd to 6th, and the hat is still there.”
Sanremo 2021 has not been postponed until April
The mayor of Sanremo has also denied that the city requested a delay, as reported by Eurofestival News.
“The next Sanremo Festival will be held from 2 to 6 March, as already communicated. If later on it is deemed appropriate to make new assessments on the date together with Rai, we will do so, but to date there has been no request for postponement by the Municipality of Sanremo. Instead, I confirm we’re in daily conversation with Rai: we are working on perfecting the new agreement, with the common intention of creating a great 2021 Festival.”
“A new voice comes out every day on the Festival: those who say with an audience, those who say without, those who say it’s in March, others who say in April, those who speaks of an event limited to the Ariston and those who speculate about an extended event. I understand the great interest that the topic arouses but the truth is that the general situation is constantly and quickly evolving and it is impossible to be certain about future scenarios: we are experiencing a period in which we do not know what we will be able to or will not be able to do. That’s true for Christmas, let alone the situation we will have in March 2021. What is certain is that every day we work with Rai and with the artistic director Amadeus to build a great Festival.”
We should point out that despite encouraging results regarding the coronavirus vaccine, a large-scale vaccination programme is still many months off. It is not yet a silver bullet that will suddenly allow all events to proceed as they used to. Health officials around the world, including at the World Health Organization, remind us all to remain vigilant about our health and that of those around us by maintaining social distance, staying at home when we feel unwell and limiting or even cancelling events. You may be tired of the virus, but it is not tired of you.
Are you one of the people thinking about Sanremo daily? How do you want to see this play out? Let us know down below!
Is it just me or does Diodato look like Saint Francis?
(I do not wish to offend anyone)
But how would it be possible to be in late April? Deadline to submit songs for Eurovision is around 10-15 March so the current dates are still close to the deadline.
I wonder if RAI has a plan B or will feel the need of finding one, even if they don’t make it public. Since Sanremo isn’t just an Eurovision selection, I can imagine they postponing it if a later date allows them to have an audience and make it a proper we-got-rid-of-Covid celebration. On the other hand, I don’t think it’ll make much difference having it in April and they won’t probably have it during Summer, so I believe it’ll happen in early March anyway.
Diodato 🙁
“You may be tired of the virus, but it is not tired of you.” Good message. It’s such a shame my home country, America, doesn’t heed it.