Sanremo, Bianca Balti's hymn to life. Damiano David enchants with Dalla. Cabaret with Frassica, Malgioglio show

The poetry of Lucio Dalla that lives again with the voice of Damiano David, the explosion of life of Bianca Balti, the glam of Cristiano Malgioglio, the inimitable humor of Nino Frassica. The second night of Sanremo goes to port at a pace if possible even more intense.

No hymns, fanfares and epaulettes, the marathon begins without further delay with the New Proposals competition: the melodic Alex Wyse with Rockstar and Settembre with Vertebre advance to the final, the final verdict tonight. Nothing to be done for the women in the competition: the duo Vale Lp and Lil Jolie, who launches a message against violence against women by holding up two signs with the words "If I don't want/you can't", and Maria Tomba in chic pajamas with an unambiguous message: "Look at my eyes and not my breasts".

Finally it's Bianca Balti's turn, "mother" and "warrior", Conti introduces her: "I didn't come to be sick, but to celebrate life", she explained when meeting the press. And so it was: the top model shows off a dress more beautiful than the other with an open and serene smile, her bald head post chemo, she shows her scars with grace. "Thank you Carlo for letting me out before Malgioglio, because you will know that he copied the feathers from me".

It's Malgioglio's turn: he struggles up the infamous staircase, Conti runs up to him. "It's so beautiful to be here, in 50 years of career in which I've been lucky enough to work with the greatest, I don't know if it's a gift, maybe for all the things I've done I deserved it too", he says emotionally. He dances with Balti recreating the iconic scene from The Leopard, then with Conti: "I didn't know who Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon were...".

Nino Frassica is unusually elegant in a tuxedo, but with a black quiff: "Ladies and gentlemen, he wins... We've known since November." And then he assures: "At this moment, 119 percent of Italians are watching the festival." And he breaks down the categories in his own way : "Nuns, horse thieves, Antonio Canavacciuolo, fog in the Po Valley and compliments for the show." He stages a sketch about Damiano's autograph, Malgioglio's crazy biography, then the fake rapper competitor from Sassari with a thousand authors . Unstoppable, a great protagonist.

Black and white shot, black jacket with mega satin bow, with the former frontman of Maneskin (in the audience his girlfriend, actress and singer Dove Cameron) the evening finally takes off with the interpretation of Dalla's masterpiece Felicità. Behind him on a bench Alessandro Borghi and his nephew, the little Vittorio Bonvincini in tears. More than moved, perhaps, rightly incapable at that age of managing a stage like that. But Borghi says he has a good reason for having brought him: «I have to thank Damiano for this wonderful song and for having let me witness his incredible talent live. Vittorio seemed to us to be the right person to represent this passage from drowsiness to the search for happiness, the meaning of this song that is dedicated to young people, the very young». «To future generations», adds Conti.

And it's a bit of a Children's Festival: a few minutes pass and another little one hops on the enormous stage. Everyone is enchanted by little Alessandro Gervasi, who at six years old performs on the piano, playing Champagne by Peppino Di Capri . The Sicilian baby artist, who plays the artist in the fiction Champagne, expected on Rai1, spontaneously answers Conti's questions: "Do you want to stay longer?". "No." "At 6 years old you play the piano at the Sanremo festival, where do you want to go?". "I don't know." He's done his part.

The competition: fifteen Bigs sing on stage, rated 50% by the audience at home with Televoting and 50% by the Radio Jury. We have already heard the songs and this part of the evening inevitably languishes. Rocco Hunt shows up with unexpected transparency, Elodie in Gucci and with dancers finally relaxes, Lucio Corsi dazed with leather boots and sweater with Sylvester the Cat, The Kolors bright, Serena Brancale with a vertiginous slit, Fedez remains faithful to black, Francesca Michielin gives in to tears for the emotion. Marcella Bella bold with shoulder pads and visible bra, Achille Lauro in Al Capone version. Yet another standing ovation for Simone Cristicchi and Giorgia, it's now a habit.

The top five, like yesterday not in order of placement: Giorgia, Simone Cristicchi, Achille Lauro, Lucio Corsi. New entry compared to yesterday Fedez.