Sanremo Music Festival 1958

Sanremo Music Festival 1958
Dates and venue
Semi-final 1
  • 30 January 1958
Semi-final 2
  • 31 January 1958
Final
  • 1 February 1958
VenueSanremo Casino
Sanremo, Italy
Organisation
OrganiserSocietà ATA
Production
BroadcasterRadiotelevisione italiana (RAI)
DirectorVittorio Brignole
Musical directorCinico Angelini and Alberto Semprini
Artistic directorAchille Cajafa
PresentersGianni Agus and Fulvia Colombo
Vote
Number of entries20
Winner"Nel blu, dipinto di blu"
Domenico Modugno and Johnny Dorelli

The Sanremo Music Festival 1958 (Italian: Festival di Sanremo 1958), officially the 8th Italian Song Festival (8º Festival della canzone italiana), was the eight annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 30 January and 1 February 1958.[1] It was organised by Società ATA, concessionary of the Sanremo Casino, and broadcast by Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI).[2] Achille Cajafa was the artistic director of the festival.[3][4] The show was presented by actor Gianni Agus, assisted by television announcer Fulvia Colombo.[5]

According to the rules of this edition every song was performed in a double performance by a couple of singers or groups, with some artists performing multiple songs.[5] The winner of the festival was "Nel blu, dipinto di blu", performed by Domenico Modugno (who was also the composer of the song) and Johnny Dorelli.[5] Modugno went on to perform the song for Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1958.

Competing entries

A submission window for Italian music publishing firms was opened by Società ATA from October 1957 to 15 November 1957.[6] Only songs in Italian, with dialects excluded, and by songwriters of Italian nationality were eligible.[6] About 1,000 songs were submitted for this edition.[7] Twenty of them were selected by a jury composed of Alessandro Cicognini, Raffaele Gervasio, Adriano Grande, Angelo Francesco Lavagnino, Nicola Lisi, Federico Petriccione, Nino Piccinelli, Giuseppe Piccioli Arrigo Polillo, and Achille Cajafa, with Carlo Alberto Cappelli acting as the president of the jury.[6][7][8] Initially foreseen as jury members, Oliviero De Fabritiis and Renzo Rossellini were replaced by Giuseppe Piccioli and Achille Cajafa.[8]

Competing entries[9][10][11][12]
Song Composer Lyricist Publishing firm
"Amare un'altra" Fabio Borgazzi Riccardo Pazzaglia Titanus
"Arsura" Mario Schisa
Asso
"Campana di Santa Lucia" Carlo Concina Bixio Cherubini Casiroli
"Cos'è un bacio" Giampiero Boneschi Vincenzo Rovi Araldo
"È molto facile... dirsi addio" Luigi Martelli
  • Luigi Martelli
  • Ennio Neri
 Derevitzki
"Fantastica" Piero Bentivoglìo Armando Costanzi Alma
"Fragole e cappellini" Saverio Seracini Saverio Seracini Suvini Zerboni
"Giuro d'amarti così" Vittorio Mascheroni Mario Panzeri Mascheroni
"Ho disegnato un cuore" Isabella Piga Silvana Simoni Peter Schaeffers
"Io sono te" Carlo Alberto Rossi Alberto Testa Tre Stelle
"I trulli di Alberobello" Umberto Bindi Giovanni Ciocca Santa Cecilia
"La canzone che piace a te" Mario Ruccione Raffaele Cutolo Marechiaro
"L'edera" Saverio Seracini Vincenzo D'Acquisto Menestrello
"Mille volte" Fabio Borgazzi Ministrel
"Nel blu, dipinto di blu" Domenico Modugno Franco Migliacci Music Union
"Non potrai dimenticare" Gualtiero Malgoni Bruno Pallesi Southern Music
"Nozze d'oro"
  • Giorgio Cavalli
  • Enrico Canelli
 Franco Conti Unione
"Se tornassi tu" Alberto Barberis Ezio Radaelli Ata
"Timida serenata" Gino Redi Nisa Le canzoni del mare
"Tu sei del mio paese" Carlo Alberto Rossi Biri C.A. Rossi

After the selection of the entries, the songs were matched with the artists in a way to guarantee the best possible interpretation for each song.[13] Each of the participating artists was paid a fee of 70,000 lire per night.[13][7] Originally selected, Fiorella Bini was replaced by Cristina Jorio, and Fausto Cigliano by Giorgio Consolini.[13] Rehearsals started on 25 January 1958.[14]

Contest overview

Fulvia Colombo hosting the festival
Left to right: Domenico Modugno, Nilla Pizzi and Johnny Dorelli

The shows were directed by Vittorio Brignole.[15] The presenters were Gianni Agus and Fulvia Colombo.[7] Initially, Enzo Tortora had been announced as presenter but he was replaced by Agus shortly before the start of the festival.[1][16][7]

Each song was performed twice, once in a more traditional arrangement with an 14-piece orchestra under the direction of Cinico Angelini and once in a more rhythmical arrangement by the Sestetto Azzurro under the direction of Alberto Semprini.[17][7] In addition, a recap of the songs was played on a player piano.[18][19]

Semi-final 1

The first semi-final was held on 30 January 1958 at 22:00 CET.[17] From this semi-final, five songs qualified for the final.[17] Gloria Christian, initially foreseen to sing "Timida serenata" in duet with Aurelio Fierro, missed the night due to sickness.[20] In the semi-finals, the finalists were chosen by a jury of 200 spectators, drawn by lot prior to each show from the audience present at the venue.[1] In this semi-final, each jury member could give one vote to their favourite song.[21] The five finalist entries were repeated at the end of the program.[22]

  Qualifier
Semi-final 1 – 30 January 1958[1][23][24][19]
R/O Song Artist with orchestra Angelini Artist with orchestra Semprini Votes Place
1 "È molto facile... dirsi addio" Marisa Del Frate Giorgio Consolini N/a
2 "Mille volte" Tonina Torrielli Cristina Jorio 21 4
3 "Timida serenata" Gino Latilla and Carla Boni Aurelio Fierro 25 3
4 "Giuro d'amarti così" Claudio Villa Nilla Pizzi 34 2
5 "Fantastica" Johnny Dorelli Natalino Otto 20 5
6 "Nozze d'oro" Tonina Torrielli and Duo Fasano Trio Joyce N/a
7 "Se tornassi tu" Johnny Dorelli Giorgio Consolini N/a
8 "Fragole e cappellini" Claudio Villa and Duo Fasano Aurelio Fierro 43 1
9 "Tu sei del mio paese" Gino Latilla Natalino Otto N/a
10 "Arsura" Carla Boni Giorgio Consolini N/a

Semi-final 2

The second semi-final was held on 31 January 1958 at 22:00 CET.[25] From this semi-final, also five songs qualified for the final.[25] In contrast to the first semi-final, each juror could vote for a maximum of two songs.[23][21]

  Qualifier
Semi-final 2 – 31 January 1958[1][23][21][25][26]
R/O Song Artist with orchestra Semprini Artist with orchestra Angelini Votes Place
1 "Amare un'altra" Nilla Pizzi Gino Latilla 48 4
2 "Ho disegnato un cuore" Gloria Christian Marisa Del Frate N/a
3 "La canzone che piace a te" Aurelio Fierro and Nilla Pizzi Claudio Villa and Duo Fasano N/a
4 "I trulli di Alberobello" Aurelio Fierro and Trio Joyce Tonina Torrielli and Duo Fasano N/a
5 "Campana di Santa Lucia" Giorgio Consolini Claudio Villa 38 5
6 "L'edera" Nilla Pizzi Tonina Torrielli 62 2
7 "Cos'è un bacio" Gloria Christian Claudio Villa and Gino Latilla N/a
8 "Io sono te" Cristina Jorio Carla Boni N/a
9 "Nel blu dipinto di blu" Domenico Modugno Johnny Dorelli 88 1
10 "Non potrai dimenticare" Natalino Otto Carla Boni and Gino Latilla 51 3

Final

Domenico Modugno performing the winning song

In the final, a spectator jury of 100 people together with another 100 jurors drawn by lot from national newspaper subscribers decided the winner.[1] Each juror could cast one vote for their favourite song.[27] At the end of the final, the top three songs were performed again.[28]

Final – 1 February 1958[5]
Song Artist(s) Place
"Nel blu, dipinto di blu" Domenico Modugno Johnny Dorelli 1
"L'edera" Nilla Pizzi Tonina Torrielli 2
"Amare un'altra" Gino Latilla Nilla Pizzi 3
"Campana di Santa Lucia" Claudio Villa Giorgio Consolini 4
"Giuro d'amarti così" Claudio Villa Nilla Pizzi 5
"Timida serenata" Carla Boni and Gino Latilla Aurelio Fierro and Gloria Christian 6
"Fragole e cappellini" Claudio Villa and Duo Fasano Aurelio Fierro ft. Trio Joyce 7
"Non potrai dimenticare" Natalino Otto Carla Boni and Gino Latilla 8
"Mille volte" Tonina Torrielli Cristina Jorio 9
"Fantastica" Johnny Dorelli Natalino Otto 10

Broadcasts

Local broadcast

All shows were broadcast on Italian Television and Secondo Programma, beginning at 22:00 CET.[29]

International broadcasts

Known details on the broadcasts of the final in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations are shown in the tables below.

International broadcasters of the Sanremo Music Festival 1958 Final
Country Broadcaster Channel(s) Commentator(s) Ref(s)
 Austria ORF Österreichisches Fernsehen [30]
 Belgium NIR NIR Piet te Nuyl Jr. [31]
 Denmark Statsradiofonien Statsradiofonien TV [32]
 Germany ARD Deutsches Fernsehen [33]
 Monaco Radio Monte-Carlo [34]
 Netherlands NTS NTS Piet te Nuyl Jr. [35]
  Switzerland SRG SSR TV DRS [36]
TSR Georges Hardy

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Greci, Luigi (26 January 1958). "La 'tre giorni' della canzone italiana". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. pp. 9, 15. OCLC 955831629.
  2. ↑ "VIII Festival della Canzone a Sanremo". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 34, no. 40. 6 October 1957. p. 14. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  3. ↑ Premoli, Giovanni (13 February 1958). "Un po' di giallo nel festival blu". Oggi (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 7. p. 8. ISSN 0030-0705. OCLC 2449257.
  4. ↑ Grazzini, Enzio (31 January 1958). "Scelte le prime cinque canzoni che participeranno alla finalissima". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Vol. 83, no. 27. p. 6. OCLC 1371227030.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Eddy Anselmi. Festival di Sanremo: almanacco illustrato della canzone italiana. Panini Comics, 2009. ISBN 8863462291.
  6. 1 2 3 "VIII° Festival di Sanremo". Musica e dischi (in Italian). 13 (135): 56. October 1956. ISSN 0027-4526. OCLC 9955628.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ghirotti, Gigi (29 January 1958). "Inizia domani a Sanremo l'ottavo festival della canzone". La Stampa (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 25. p. 5. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 "I lavori del VIII° Festival della canzone italiana a San Remo". Musica e dischi (in Italian). 13 (137): 2. December 1957. ISSN 0027-4526. OCLC 9955628.
  9. ↑ "I cantanti e le canzoni all' VIII Festival di Sanremo". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 2. 12 January 1958. p. 22. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  10. ↑ Greci, Luigi (9 February 1958). "Un bilancio positivo". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 6. p. 20. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  11. ↑ Le canzoni del Festival 1958 (in Italian). Foligno ; Roma: Campi. 1958. pp. 10–81.
  12. ↑ Vivarelli, Piero (30 January 1958). "Il Festival della Canzone s'inizia stasera a San Remo". Il Tempo (in Italian). Vol. 15, no. 30. p. 9. OCLC 1367961551.
  13. 1 2 3 "S'accendono le polemiche per il Festival di Sanremo". Stampa Sera (in Italian). Vol. 12, no. 17. 20 January 1958. p. 7. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Giungono a Sanremo le orchestre per il Festival". La Stampa (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 23. 26 January 1958. p. 5. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Televisione – giovedì 30 gennaio". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. 26 January 1958. p. 40. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  16. ↑ "Si cerca un presentatore per il festival di Sanremo". Stampa Sera (in Italian). Vol. 12, no. 23. 27 January 1958. p. 3. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 "Radio – giovedì 30 gennaio". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. 26 January 1958. p. 39. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  18. ↑ Ghirotti, Gigi (30 January 1958). "Comincia stasera a Sanremo il festival delle venti canzoni". La Stampa (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 26. p. 8. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  19. 1 2 Vivarelli, Piero (31 January 1958). "Le prime cinque canzoni scelte al Festival di San Remo". Il Tempo (in Italian). Vol. 15, no. 31. p. 9. OCLC 1367961551.
  20. ↑ Ghirotti, Gigi (31 January 1958). "E' iniziato ieri il festival della canzone dopo una vigilia di affanni e nervosismo". La Stampa (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 27. p. 5. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 Vivarelli, Piero (1 February 1958). "Stasera al Festival di San Remo sarà proclamata la canzone vincente". Il Tempo (in Italian). Vol. 15, no. 32. p. 9. OCLC 1367961551.
  22. ↑ "Oggi e domani alla radio". Stampa Sera (in Italian). Vol. 12, no. 26. 30 January 1958. p. 8. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 Ghirotti, Gigi (1 February 1958). "Scelte al festival di Sanremo le altre cinque canzoni per la finale". La Stampa (in Italian). Vol. 14, no. 28. p. 3. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  24. ↑ Fasolo, Furio (30 January 1958). "Le prime dieci canzoni parlano di sogni e cuori infranti". Stampa Sera (in Italian). Vol. 12, no. 26. p. 3. OCLC 1367283024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 "Radio – venerdì 31 gennaio". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. 26 January 1958. p. 42. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  26. ↑ "Decisi gli abbinamenti fra le canzoni e i cantanti del Festival di San Remo". L'Unità (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 22. 22 January 1958. p. 2. OCLC 1367940615. Retrieved 5 August 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  27. ↑ "Tutto pronto a San Remo per il 'Festival della Canzone'". Il Tempo (in Italian). Vol. 15, no. 27–4. 27 January 1958. p. 9. OCLC 1367961551.
  28. ↑ "Radio – sabato 1° febbraio". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. 26 January 1958. p. 45. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  29. ↑ "Radio / Televisione – giovedì 30 gennaio / venerdì 31 gennaio / sabatto 1° febbraio". Radiocorriere (in Italian). Vol. 35, no. 4. 26 January 1958. pp. 39–46. OCLC 955831629. Retrieved 4 June 2026 – via Rai Teche.
  30. ↑ "Die Fernsehwoche". Radio Österreich (in German). No. 5. 25 January 1958. p. 8. OCLC 723767830.
  31. ↑ "Televisie" [Television]. Humoradio (in Dutch). Vol. 23, no. 907. Brussels, Belgium. 26 January 1958. pp. 39, 42. Retrieved 3 May 2026 – via BelgicaPress.
  32. ↑ "Alle tiders programoversigter – Lørdag den 1. februar 1958" [All-time programme overviews – Saturday 1 February 1958] (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  33. ↑ "Deutsches Fernsehen". Bild+Funk, Ausgabe Bayern (in German). No. 4/58. 26 January 1958. p. 25. OCLC 634661907.
  34. ↑ "À la radio" [On the radio]. Le Soir (in French). Brussels, Belgium. 1 February 1958. p. 9. Retrieved 6 February 2025 – via BelgicaPress.
  35. ↑ "Televisie" [Television]. Vrije Geluiden (in Dutch). Vol. 28, no. 4. Hilversum, Netherlands. 7 March 1959. p. 45. OCLC 72761986. Retrieved 6 February 2025 – via Delpher.
  36. ↑ "Le journal de la télévision" [The television journal]. Radio Je vois tout – télévision (in French). Vol. 36, no. 4. Lausanne, Switzerland. 23 January 1958. pp. 22–23. Retrieved 6 February 2025 – via Scriptorium.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.