Greatest hits, more recent compositions, personal memories, and reflections on the present: a journey spanning over fifty years of music. Riccardo Cocciante captivated the Tharros Theater with a concert lasting approximately two hours and forty minutes, transforming one of Sardinia's iconic venues into a vast stage shared with the audience. The evening, part of the "Giants of Art" series, opened with "La grande avventura."
From the very first songs, a continuous dialogue developed between the artist and the audience, who accompanied "Ora che io sono luce," "Uomo," and "Uniti no, divisi no" with clapping. Cocciante spanned the different phases of his career, alternating music and storytelling. Before performing "Ammassati e distanti," he reflected on the relationship between society and technology, which can bring people together but also, as the song's title suggests, make them increasingly crowded together and distant. He then recalled the difficulties he faced in his early days, when even his name and image were considered unsuitable for the recording industry. After recording his first albums as Riccardo Conte and Richard Cocciante, he chose to return to his own identity. This story introduced "Il mio nome è Riccardo," a declaration of belonging and awareness. One of the first moments of great participation came with "Cervo a primavera," which was greeted with prolonged applause at the end. The entrance of the piano on stage offered the artist the opportunity to talk about his deep and instinctive connection with the instrument.
"When I get up in the morning, I put my hands on the keyboard. I can neither read nor write music. I used to play a few guitar strings, then I needed something to complete my style, and the piano arrived. I'm afraid of it, but I love it," he said. "Primavera" and "Era già tuttoaspettato" followed, both of which were greeted with great warmth by the audience. Among the evening's most intimate passages was the memory of Vietnam, the country where Cocciante was born and which he had to leave because of the war. "I have good and bad memories, but this country is still inside me," he explained before singing "Indochina." The story of the years spent in Miami introduced "Ti amo ancora di più," dedicated to Europe, its culture, and that "old world" the artist had deeply missed during his stay in the United States. During the concert, Cocciante performed live some songs from his latest album, "Ho vent'anni con te."
With "Vai lupo, corri" (Go Wolf, Run), she addressed the theme of environmental protection and the relationship between humans and nature, choosing the wolf as a symbol of a balance that needs to be protected. "Vivi la tua vita," written for her son on the occasion of his birth, opened up a more personal and familiar space. The tribute to Fabrizio Frizzi was particularly moving. Before performing "Hai un amico in me," a song from the Disney film Toy Story , Cocciante remembered the host with a few words that were greeted with applause from the audience: "Fabrizio, you're always in our hearts." The audience then let themselves be carried away by "A mano a mano," accompanied by the accordion, and "Per un amico in più." Maestro Marco Vito was also on stage, with whom Cocciante recalled one of the most important chapters of her career: Notre-Dame de Paris. The composer recounted the difficulties he encountered before the opera found a producer and thanked all the performers who have followed one another over the course of twenty-five years, as well as the audiences who continue to follow it on the current tour.
"Notre-Dame de Paris is a masterpiece for me. Even before it was produced, it was already something we had in our hearts, and we hoped it would enter yours too." The final part of the concert brought together some of Cocciante's most beloved songs. "Quando finita un amore" elicited a standing ovation, while the audience recognized "Bella senz'anima" from the first chords, beginning to applaud even before the artist sang the first words. Cocciante also joked about his age, summarizing the spirit with which he continues to take the stage: "I'm eighty, but my heart isn't. The important thing is to have a passion that burns inside like a fire." One of the most moving moments of the evening came with "Se stiamo insieme." Phone flashlights illuminated the Tharros Theater, following the rhythm of the piano, while the audience sang the chorus along with the artist. "Margherita" was also well received, sung by the entire audience and ending with a standing ovation. Cocciante then took up the refrain a cappella, transforming the theater into one large choir and eliciting another, very long round of applause.