Canzonissima is back, the focus will be on the songs and not the artists.

Saturday, March 21, in prime time on Rai1, Canzonissima returns: the historic musical variety show reappears 51 years after its last edition.

From 1956 to 1975, the program featured twelve seasons hosted, among others, by Nino Manfredi, Mike Bongiorno, Raimondo Vianello, and Pippo Baudo.

The new version will be hosted by Milly Carlucci.

The host herself, in a video posted on the show's social media profile, clarified the format: no competition among contestants, the focus will be on the songs.

This clarification came after a promotional video, which announced the presence of Riccardo Cocciante, led to some misunderstandings, prompting the artist to explain that he will participate in the show as a special guest, not as a competitor.

“So, we need to reveal a mystery – Carlucci explained – there are no contestants. Our artistic cast is a group of friends, extraordinary performers, who bring us songs as a gift. The songs are what we will base our choices on. So the audience at home, the artists themselves who come here with us, and a group of friends will all decide together what the Canzonissima is. The one to put in a time capsule to pass on to our children and grandchildren. And the singers can also change.”

The presence of the performers will be varied episode by episode.

“Most of the singers will participate in the entire series, others will showcase the songs they perform in one or more episodes – she continued –. Some artists will be with us for six episodes and will have a clear path with us, each representing the songs related to the episode's theme and also sharing their stories. Then there will be other performers who will come for four episodes, for two episodes.”

And furthermore: “One of them, for example, will be with us only in the second episode, Paolo Iannacci, with a beautiful tribute to his father and a historic song.”

It will therefore be a reimagined return. The cast includes, among others, Fausto Leali (who has already confirmed with a video) and Elio e le Storie Tese.

Also on the lineup are Elettra Lamborghini, Irene Grandi – "felicissima", she said – Fabrizio Moro, who shared an ironic video, Malika Ayane, who visited the studio, and Arisa, busy on Fridays with The Voice Generation alongside Antonella Clerici.

The group is completed by Vittorio Grigolo, Enrico Ruggeri, as well as Leo Gassmann, the Jalisse, and Michele Bravi.

Each evening will be built around a specific theme and each performance will be preceded by a clip in which the artist explains the reason for their choice and the value that song has had in their personal and professional journey, transforming the performance into a personal story as well as a musical one.

At the end, the Canzonissima of the episode will be announced, which will advance to the final.

The selection of songs will be entrusted to three voting components: a panel of personalities from the entertainment world, the same performers – who will express their preference excluding their own song – and the public, involved through social media.

The performances will be strictly live, accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra conducted by Maestro Luigi Saccà; some performances will be enriched by choreographic moments created by Matteo Addino.