The Teatro Ariston, traditional venue of the festival, during the 2013 edition
The Sanremo Music Festival 2013 (Italian: Festival di Sanremo 2013), officially the 63rd Italian Song Festival (63º Festival della canzone italiana), was the 63rd annual Sanremo Music Festival, a televised song contest held at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, Liguria, between 12 and 16 February 2013 and broadcast by Rai 1. The show was presented by Fabio Fazio with Italian comedy actress Luciana Littizzetto.
The competition featured two different sections. The Big Artists section included 14 established Italian artists, competing with two songs each. During the semi-finals, a song for each artist was eliminated as a result of votes received by public and journalists. On 16 February 2013, Marco Mengoni, based on a combination of televotes and points awarded by a jury,[1] was announced the winner of the competition, with his song "L'essenziale".
The Newcomers' section featured eight songs performed by debuting or little known artists. On 13 and 14 February 2013, music journalists and televotes determined the four finalists of the competition. The final winner of the Newcomers' section, Antonio Maggio with the song "Mi servirebbe sapere", was announced on 15 February 2013, based on points awarded by a jury and on televotes.[1]
On 24 January 2013, it was also announced that, as in 2011 and in 2012, an internal commission would select the artist representing Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 among all the competing acts.[2] During the final, Marco Mengoni was announced as the Italian entrant with "L'essenziale".[3]
Presenters and personnel
Sanremo Music Festival 2013 presenters
Fabio Fazio
Luciana Littizzetto
Immediately after Gianni Morandi, who presented the contest in 2011 and 2012, announced he didn't want to return to the Sanremo Music Festival for a third consecutive year, Fabio Fazio started being considered for the role. On 11 January 2012, Adnkronos revealed Fazio had signed with RAI, and on 18 January 2012, while presenting RAI's schedules for the second half of 2012 and the first part of 2013, Giancarlo Leone, then president of RAI's entertainment branch, officially announced Fazio as the presenter of the contest.[4][5]
Fazio, who had previously presented the contest in 1999 and in 2000, invited Italian comedy actress Luciana Littizzetto to join him, and Littizzetto confirmed her involvement as co-presenter on 30 September 2012, during Fazio's TV show Che tempo che fa.[6][7]
Fabio Fazio was also chosen as the artistic director of the show,[7] while Mauro Pagani was later chosen as the music director.[8] Pagani also conducted the Sanremo Festival Orchestra.[9] For the first time, the scenography was created by Francesca Montinaro.[10] The show was directed by Duccio Forzano.[11]
During the first night, seven out of fourteen artists competing in the Big Artists section presented their two songs. At the end of the night, a song for each artist was eliminated, as a result of televotes combined with votes given by music journalists.
Big Artists section
Performances of the acts in the "Big Artists" section during the first night, with competing songs and writers[12][13][14]
During the second night, the last seven artists competing in the Big Artists section performed both their songs, and a song for each of them was eliminated based on the combination of televotes and points given by music journalists. During the night, four acts in the Newcomers' section performed their entries, and two of them, Irene Ghiotto and Il Cile, were eliminated.
Big Artists section
Performances of the acts in the "Big Artists" section during the second night, with competing songs and writers[12][13][14][19]
Italian actor Beppe Fiorello was the first guest of the second night. He was interviewed by Fabio Fazio about his role as Domenico Modugno in a TV film.[24]
Israeli model Bar Refaeli appeared during the night, co-presenting some artists.[24]
Italian-French singer Carla Bruni performed her new single "Chez Keith e Anita". After being briefly interviewed, she also played guitar while Littizzetto sang a parody of the hit "Quelqu'un m'a dit".[24][25]
During the fifth night, each act competing in the Big Artists section sang a cover of a song originally performed during a previous edition of the Sanremo Music Festival. Acts were optionally allowed to perform with Italian or international guests.
Performances of the acts in the Big Artists section during the fourth night[30][31]
Artist and guests
Order
Song
Original artist(s) and year
Malika Ayane (with dancers Paolo Vecchione & Thomas Signorelli)
During the fifth night, the fourteen songs competing in the Big Artists section were performed again. A ranking based on televotes and on a jury was established, and the top three artists advanced to the last round of the final.
Performances of the acts in the "Big Artists" section during the first round of the final[14][34]
In the second round, the top three songs were performed for the last time, and the final ranking was compiled, based on televotes and on points awarded by a jury. At the end of the night, Marco Mengoni was declared the winner, with his song "L'essenziale".
Performances of the acts in the "Big Artists" section during the second round of the final[14][35]
