THE’Eurovision Song Contest was born in Lugano, Switzerland, in 1956at the behest of 7 states, including Italy, intending to propose a musical event that involved Europe following the Second World War. The idea is by President Rai Sergio Pugliesewhich finds support in the President of the European RadioDiffusion Companythus giving life to a long -lived event – the only year in which it was not held was 2020 because of the pandemic – which sees the participation of most of the European states and also of members of the rest of the world. The participating states bring the artist or the musical group to stage winner of a national competition – in the case of Italy, the Sanremo Festival – who challenges himself with the other participants in the semifinals and then in a final. Of the 44 participating states, 6 have the guaranteed place: the winner of the previous year and the “Big Five”, that is Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. The second the regulation cannot be voted for your country during the race. To date, it is theevent of a non -sporting nature followed in the worldwith listening data estimated between 100 and 600 million spectators. This year, the Eurovision final will be on Saturday 17 May and for Italy will participate Lucio Corsi.
Eurovision, the first edition in Switzerland in 1956
Lugano, 24 May 1956: The first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is held at the Kursaal Theater. The Second World War has ended for about ten years, and Europe is in the middle of the reconstruction of social relationscultural and economic between states. Also for this, since 1950 – year of birth of the European RadioDiffusion Companybased in Switzerland – you are looking for a way to join under the sign of music as many nations as possible. The idea is a musical competition is of Sergio Pugliesethen President Rai, who draws inspiration from the Sanremo Festival: he submits the initiative to the president of the European RadioDiffusion CompanyMarcel Bezençon, and the date on which the Festival will take place.
On stage, for the first edition, there are seven countries, including Italy: Belgium, France, West Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland and – in fact – Italyeach with two songs presented. For Italy they go on stage Franca Raimondi with Open the windows (song with which he had won Sanremo in the same year) and Tonina Torrielli with Love me if you want. The owners of the hosts win the competition with Refrain played by the Swiss singer Lys Assia.
The 7 founding countries decide that the participating nations, in turn, will host the festival of year and year and the following year, 1957, the rule is established – in force still today – according to which it will be The winning country to host the event the following year.
The Eurovision from the 60s to today
From year to year, new countries adhere to the event: from the second edition they enter Austria, Denmark and the United Kingdom, and it is decided that each nation will be able to Conquer with a single songbut the duets. The limit of Length of the song at 3 minutesto avoid too long participations make the transmission difficult, as happened during the second edition to the Nostrano singer Nunzio Gallo with Ropes of my guitar which lasted more than 5 minutes. In the 1958 Domenico Modugno participate with In the blue painted blueand in 1964 Italy takes home the first victory with I am not the agesung by a very young Gigliola Cinquetti. The following year, the Eurovision therefore arrives for the first time in Italy, in Naples.
In the 1969 A particular situation occurs: four countries – France, the Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom – they win on equal meritand then the festival will be extracted to the following year, and the hosts will be the Netherlands.
In the 1973 Israel also begins among the participants, a choice that creates many controversies and cause – as happened in other editions, both for logistical needs and for political and social protests and motivations – the withdrawal of some countries, and right here, in 1979the event will be hosted for the first time by an extra -European state. In the 1980 The Eurovision opens the doors even to another continent, because Morocco is among the participants.
In the edition of 1986 The Belgian singer Sandra Kim wins, a victory that brings many controversies because it will be discovered that the girl was 13 years old, and not 15 as stated in order to participate.
In the 1992with Together: 1992 Of Toto CutugnotheItaly wins again and, in 2000the Eurovision is broadcast for the first time via the Internet (from 2016 live also from the official YouTube channel) and in 2015in Vienna, Australia will also perform. In the 2020the Eurovision comes for the first and only time canceled. In 2021, thanks to Shut up and good of the ManeskinItaly won the third victory and so, in 2022the evening will be hosted in Turin. This year, the final evening of Saturday 17 May It will be again in Switzerland, in Basel.
The current rules of the Eurovision Song Contest
The regulation of the event has evolved and transformed over the years. Currently, the main rules are as follows:
- Can participate at most 44 statesor the 44 members of the participating broadcasters
- The participation that participates must be affiliated to thewhich today is the European broadcaster of radio and television diffusion
- Of these 44 states, 6 have the guaranteed place: the winner of the previous year and “Big Five”the five states that most economically support EBU, or Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom
- Others 38 States they will compete for the place in the semifinals and in the final
- The songs in the race are selected through one national music selectionin our case the Sanremo Festival
- Songs can last at most three minutesand can be of whatever kind and sing in any languageeven invented, but they cannot be covers nor inspired by other songs published, and is The use of the Auto-Tune and the Playback prohibited
- The songs in the race must be presented with a videoand have not been published before September 1 of the year prior to the race
- Choreography and scenography are prohibited on stage that Litano rights or bring animals on stage
- Content cannot be presented political, offensive or promotional nature
- On stage can be there at Maximum 6 participantsalso for groups, and each participant must be 16 years old of age on the day of the final.
- It is not possible vote for your country
