Sanremo, Geppi Cucciari in bursts. Medley Mahmood, Benigni show. The cover of Giorgia and Annalisa wins

"Good nation, I meant good viewing". Geppi Cucciari immediately clarifies it by opening the Festival in the version of a Sixties announcer: the politically incorrect is about to hit the Christian Democrat Sanremo of Carlo Conti. In case there were any doubts , Roberto Benigni arrives and lashes out at Musk, at Trump who threatens duties on trofie al pesto to have Liguria, at Conti who is going like a train and is ready for the Ministry of Transport. And above all he launches solidarity with Sergio Mattarella, on the day of Moscow's attack on the President of the Republic. Great show with Mahmood who gives a sumptuous medley, then the gag with autotune.

The presenter from Macomer has the thankless task of opening the dances of the evening of covers: «Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. A warning: unfortunately, despite indications from the Ministry of Made in Italy, foreign songs will also be performed during the evening». Message received.

In twenty minutes, Roberto Benigni wipes the slate clean of what we have seen so far: the Oscar-winning director once again leaves his mark at the Ariston, the stage where he rode a white horse, launched the “Wojtylaccio” and where he reread the Song of Songs, the Mameli Anthem, the Constitution. At the festival of normalization, “I saw Marcella Bella, I said Bella ciao to her, a mess happened! For equal opportunities, I also had to say hello to Neri per Caso.” And then: “Do you know who is watching us? Elon Musk. He is very interested in Italy, imagine if he doesn’t watch Sanremo. He is really interested. On X he has already voted for the winner: Giorgia.” But not only him, Trump is following Sanremo, he wants to make it great again, he follows it from Mar-a-Lago, he wants Vasco Rossi, Mina, Celentano, “make Sanremo great again”. He wants all of Liguria, after Greenland.

We Italians, the actor and director continues, «are the most beautiful people in the world, we are unique, but we also have some flaws in politics, we have the bad habit of jumping on the winner's bandwagon. Now the right has won, you see how many people who are openly left-wing have thrown themselves to the right: we of Fratelli d'Italia, me and Ignazio, don't like this». Then the announcement, the return of the Oscar winner to Rai, on March 19 with Il Sogno, on Rai1: «A show full of wonder, of surprises». Finally the words of affection and support for Mattarella: «President, we are always close to your words, we recognize ourselves, we have never heard a word from you that wasn't about truth and peace. We are proud to be represented by you, for your dignity and humanity».

Geppi enters, a black dress in jacquard satin with a Nuraghe design in shades of gray and gold. "Which person, who aspires to be on first name terms with irony, would want to get on this stage after Roberto Benigni. Thank you. Thank you, Graziella and thank you to Carlo." Then in a flurry: "Tell me right away if there's a child prodigy again tonight, one who makes us all feel stupid again." "To preserve political correctness, the artists of the duets will be indicated as Singer 1 and Singer 2." She cries out about fraud: "The winner is Fausto Leali," and launches a poll on the next presenter: "Lady Gaga for the way she sings or Augusta Montaruli for the way she barks."

More shy in the role of co-host Mahmood, tight jacket with turtleneck and baggy pants. He amazes with a large pair of glasses but lights up the theater when, bare-chested and with red pants, he proposes a medley of his hits, from RA TA TA to Soldi, from Kobra to Tuta gold.

The duets: Fedez with Masini changes the lyrics and becomes a victim, De Andrè immortal with Olly and Bresh, accompanied by Goran Bregovic and his son Cristiano, «Sanremo is ending», sing Coma_Cose with Johnson Righeira, The Kolors hire Sal Da Vinci, Rkomi and Francesca Michielin are scholastic, Gabbani and Tricarico are pleasant, Sarah Toscano is impeccable with Ofenbach. Topo Gigio sings together with Lucio Corsi on the notes of Nel blu dipinto di blu by Domenico Modugno. And the emotion is great when, after the performance with the Twin Violins, Marcella Bella goes to greet her brother Gianni in the front row. But also when, after the duet between Rocco Hunt and Clementino on Yes I Know My Way, Pino Daniele's voice echoes in the theater.

The victory goes to Giorgia and Annalisa, who show off all their vocal and technical power with Skyfall by Adele.