Fabio Fazio will be the presenter of Sanremo 1999 taking place at the Teatro Ariston from the 23th to the 27th February 1999. Co-presenter, the Nobel prize for medicine Renato Dulbecco and the Corsican top-model Laetitia Casta. . The late-night show Sanremo Notte will be hosted by Teo Teocoli and Orietta Berti. Once again megastars such as Zucchero, Eros Ramazzotti and Vasco Rossi won't enter. They have also refused to be the Italian special guests the new rules allow. Anyway we'll see Gianni Morandi, Franco Battiato, Riccardo Cocciante and Ivano Fossati. On the foreign front the names are Cher, Lenny Kravitz, Maria Carey, Skunk Anansie, Alanis Morissette, Five, Emilia, Ricky Martin and R.E.M.. Also this year bad news is that the winner won’t enter the ESC since Italy is out of the contest once again.

The 49th Festival della Canzone Italiana will be broadcast live on RAIUNO (EUTELSAT "HOT BIRD 1" EST - 11.366 V) every competition day at about 20.40 CET (after the news). The songs will be performed live accompanied by a full orchestra, each entrant with a nominated conductor. Special guests are still to be announced. There were several polemics about the televoting, especially after the problems of the Autumn newcomers pre-selection when three singers were unable to be voted. So the RAI decided to take the juries.

Here is this year’s line-up, stressing that there are just three past Esc entrant:

Very popular abroad, Al Bano Carrisi won Sanremo in 1984 singing Ci sarà with his wife Romina Power. The year after they entered the ESC performing Magic Oh Magic. Al Bano is experiencing a good succes in Europe thanks to his recent albums where he sings classic tunes such as Va' Pensiero.

Nino D'Angelo - Senza giacca e cravatta (Without jacket and tie)
(N. D'Angelo/C. Tortora)

One of the most known Neapolitan popular singer, in the past Nino starred also some love films such as Un jeans e una maglietta and La Discoteca. In 1986 he entered Sanremo with Vai. He is also the composer of the recent soundtrack Tano da morire.

Massimo Di Cataldo - Come sei bella (How you are pretty)
(Massimo Di Cataldo)

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Eugenio Finardi - Amami Laura (Love me, Laura)
(Finardi/Consoli/Bechis)

A myth for the late 70s generation, Finardi entered Sanremo just once in 1985 with Vorrei Svegliarti. He's the authour of great songs and his greatest hits are Extraterrestre and Musica Ribelle. Eugenio can be certainly considered as one of the most original Italian authours and a true fan of our music can't miss his records.

Enzo Gragnagniello and Ornella Vanoni - Alberi (Trees)
(Enzo Gragnagniello)

Enzo was one of the favourite songwriter of Mia Martini, Ornella is certainly one of the greatest Italian voices of ever with Mina and Milva. How could fail such a duo?

Gianluca Grignani - Il giorno perfetto (The perfect day)
(Gianluca Grignani)

The new rebel of Italian music is back to Sannremo after the success of his latest album Campi di Popcorn (Popcorn Fields). The critics say he's the true heir of the late Lucio Battisti, being able to compose really original music. He has a good audience also in Latin America and some European countries, thanks to his first album Destinazione Paradiso (Destination Heaven).

Nada - Guardami negli occhi (Look in my eyes)
(Nada)

The winner of Sanremo 1971 with Il cuore è uno zingaro (The hart is a gipsy) experienced great success also in the early 80s with songs such as Ti stringerò and Amore disperato. Now she tries to regain the audience of the end of the century. No doubt she will!

Mariella Nava - Così è la vita (This is the life)
(Mariella Nava)

From Sicily, Mariella is possbly one the best Italian female songwriter. Despite of her good albums, she's more known as authour of songs for big names like Renato Zero, Andrea Bocelli and Gianni Morandi.

Anna Oxa - Senza pietà (Without pity)
(C. Guidetti/A. Salerno)

Anna Oxa is one of the favourite of the ESC fans thanks to her performance in 1989 with Avrei Voluto (I’d have wanted). She began her career at Sanremo 1978 performing Un'emozione da Poco (A Small Emotion) when she was just 18, taking 2nd place! Since then she's has been one of the best Italian singers showing great voice, personality and sex-appeal. In 1989 she won Sanremo with Ti Lascerò (I'll Allow You) duetting with Fausto Leali. Twice married, she has two kids: Francesca and Quazim. Her latest appearance at Sanremo was in 1997 with Storie (Stories) taking 2nd place behind Jalisse. A possible winner.

Antonella Ruggiero - Non ti dimentico (I don't forget you)
(Roberto Colombo/Antonietta Ruggiero/Giuseppe Rinaldi )

Former voice of the Matia Bazar (ESC 1979) Antonella is surely one of biggest Italian singers. Having an extraordinary extension, beloved from the critics and from the public, she relaunched succesfully her soloists career taking 2nd place at last years' Festival. One of the favourite, possibly the best seller.

Daniele Silvestri - Aria (Air)
(Daniele Silvestri)

A young songwriter from the past years Newcomers. His latest album is the double Il dado (The dice), but despite of the positive reviews it didn't sell so well.

Stadio - Lo zaino (The rucksack)
(Vasco Rossi/Gaetano Curreri)

A band which performed a high number of hits. Collaborators of stars such as Vasco Rossi and Lucio Dalla, Gaetano Curreri & C. try to give their mark to the Festival.

Here is the Newcomers list:

Allegra, Arianna, Leda Battisti, Boris, Alex Britti, Elena Cataneo, Francesca Chiara, Max Gazzè, Filippa Giordano, Daniele Groff, Irene Lamedica, Dr. Livingstone, Quintorigo and Soerba.