The end of the 49° Festival of the Italian song starts under the best auspices. The past days were a success for the new formula thought by the young presenter Fabio Fazio. The high audience (about 16.000.000) has confirmed the validity of the choice made by the RAI.

The show begins recapitulating the provisional classification of the popular jury, that sees at the first three places Antonella Ruggiero, Mariella Nava and Anna Oxa. Antonella Ruggiero (former leader of Matia Bazar - ESC 1979) is favourite of the forecasts, also because very beloved from the critics, while the past evenings Anna Oxa (ESC 1989) left everybody positevely astonished by her sexy dress and good song. For the final, the singers are introduced mostly by the official presenters Fabio Fazio, Renato Dulbecco and Laetizia Casta, with some funny sketches of the actors Anna Marchesini and Teo Teocoli. About this, it's possible that the foreign public didn't like this choice, because they were imitations of popular characters in Italy, but unknown to the foreign countries. However the hall seemed amused.

Returning to the songs, exceptional performance of Anna Oxa that, singing for second, risked a lot. In fact the jurors usually lend better attention to the last songs, even if the jury of quality, presided from the master Ennio Morricone, votes during the final. Heavy claps in the hall for the passage of Nino D'Angelo who had the compliments also from the critics, while Antonella Ruggiero was happy (like she says) to sing her marvelous song. Few claps instead for the favourites of the critics, Nada and above all Daniele Silvestri performing a song too sad for the Festival. Good performances for Mariella Nava and for Marina Rei: out from her usual soul tunes, she entered with a pop-dance song very good for radio broadcasting. After a brief interval with Josč Carreras, the classification arrives. After reading the provisional votes of the jury of quality, it seems clear that the final classification will see at the first places three women. And the Ariston explodes in claps with the announcement of the first place of Anna Oxa, beloved from the public and able to perform a very difficult song on the vocal side. Probably Anna has been able to capture the votes of the jury of quality also thanks to an exceptional stage presence. Moreover her new album Senza Pietą has sold 50,000 copies to date, in only three days, and will be released also in Spanish! Excellent also the second place of Antonella Ruggiero who perhaps could get more. Her song is really beautiful but maybe of little impact. Deserved the third place to Mariella Nava, a good songwriter that finally gets the deserved recognition. It was a big Festival, with excellent songs. A pity that Italy doesn't enter the ESC because Anna would have excellent chance, also not singing in English.

Best Lyrics: Aria (Daniele Silvestri)

Best Music: Così è la vita (Mariella Nava) - Non ti dimentico (Antonella Ruggiero/Roberto Colombo)

Critics award: Aria (Daniele Silvestri)

Career award: Ornella Vanoni