"For me, Sanremo is a second home. Both Amadeus and I are now expecting honorary citizenship."

Carlo Conti opened the first Sanremo press conference with these words, on the eve of his fifth Festival and the 76th edition, airing from tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24th, to Saturday, February 28th. "This year must be a celebration of music with many different sounds and important guests, true pillars that bring Italian music to the world."

He has the burden and honor of hosting the first Sanremo Festival without Pippo Baudo: "It's only right to dedicate it to him," he says, emotionally. "I made a sign and placed it in front of my dressing room: Pippo Baudo dressing room. For me, he's a beacon."

Alongside Conti is Laura Pausini, who recounts her experience at the Festival : "I was 18 when I came to Sanremo for the first time. I've been back, but every time I see the sign that says 'Sanremo', I have Lexotan ready. I'm not afraid, but rather excited in the most joyful sense of the word ." She knows she's a figure who fuels criticism from the Italian public : "Sometimes on my social media pages, there are harsh and rude comments, but they're much less than others. I feel loved in this country."

When Conti asked her to host, Baudo—who crowned her winner way back in 1993—was one of the first to dispel any doubts she might have about whether to accept : "Are you still waiting? Look, you're ready, do it," he told her.

There's also one final guest announcement: Olympic athletes Arianna Fontana, Francesca Lollobrigida, Lisa Vittozzi, and Paralympic champions Giacomo Bertagnolli and Giuliana Turra will be on stage directly from the Winter Games on Wednesday.

After a brief foray into video chat by Fiorello ("I wish you lots of controversy"), here they are, unmissable . "Pure science fiction," Conti reiterates regarding the rumor about Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's front-row invitation to the Ariston Theatre . "If she wants to come, she's a free citizen, she buys the ticket and comes. I don't decide who sits in the chair," he adds. Over the years, "they've called me a Renzi supporter, a Meloni supporter, a Five Star Movement supporter: I've always been independent in my work."

This afternoon, a new denial also arrived from Palazzo Chigi: "For days I've been reading about my alleged participation in the first evening of Sanremo ," the Prime Minister wrote. " A completely fabricated story, immediately denied by Palazzo Chigi and subsequently by Carlo Conti himself. Yet the story continues: after the denial, today the host was pressed again at a press conference about my phantom presence . At this point, perhaps it's worth reminding those who invent rumors that FantaSanremo is a fun game for Festival fans . News, however, should stay in the real world."
"In the meantime," Meloni concludes, "I'll continue to do my job. And I'm sure Sanremo will shine without imaginary guests. Because it's the greatest celebration of Italian music, and there's no need to force political controversy into it."

Conti then returned to the Andrea Pucci case : " I didn't expect it to spark so much controversy; he's had so many successful shows . I've seen it many times and I've never found anything shocking. I don't ask the artist what he votes for; I ask him to put on a show. Perhaps he was afraid of reactions like those of Maurizio Crozza ." As for the possibility of an order from above, " I'd rather be told I don't know how to do my job than told that someone pulled my leg and forced names on me ."

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