The Sanremo Music Festival 2026 has officially begun in the Ligurian seaside city of Sanremo. In Italy, audiences know it as the 76ª edizione del Festival della Canzone Italiana di Sanremo. The five-night cultural institution once again unfolds at the historic Teatro Ariston and airs nationwide on RAI.
This year, the opening message is clear: elegance matters.
Carlo Conti Returns as Artistic Director
Artistic Director and host Carlo Conti returns to the Ariston stage with the steady presence Italian audiences know well. He does more than introduce performances. Instead, he sets the tone for the entire week — measured, confident, and distinctly Italian.
For the 76th edition, Florentine luxury house Stefano Ricci dresses Conti exclusively. This collaboration reinforces the Festival’s longstanding relationship with Italian craftsmanship.
According to the brand’s official press release, the atelier created a custom wardrobe for each of the five evenings. The selection highlights:
- A single-breasted silk jacquard dinner jacket crafted with fabrics from the historic Antico Setificio Fiorentino
- A double-breasted velvet dinner jacket with satin peak lapels
- Coordinated formal sets and tuxedo shirts tailored exclusively for the host
Stefano Ricci founded the house in Florence in 1972. The brand continues to uphold its commitment to “100% Made in Italy,” a philosophy rooted in heritage manufacturing and generational savoir-faire. At Sanremo, that commitment becomes part of the spectacle. It feels subtle, yet unmistakable.
In a statement, Creative Director Filippo Ricci expressed Florentine pride in dressing Conti for the Festival. Conti added:
It is a great honour to wear, at the Sanremo Festival, garments made exclusively to measure for me by Stefano Ricci — a brand of such global importance and, like myself, Florentine. I hope to do justice to the class, precision and modernity of the dinner jackets I will wear throughout the five evenings.
More Than Music
The Festival began in 1950 as a radio broadcast designed to revive tourism in postwar Italy. Television transformed it in 1954 and expanded its national reach. Over the decades, Sanremo has reflected Italy’s changing soundscape, fashion trends, and cultural conversations.
Today, the Festival rivals major national football matches in viewership. It continues to unite audiences across generations. Although competition rankings dominate headlines, style remains an essential layer of the narrative.
Opening Night Lineup
However, music remains at the heart of the Festival.
The first evening featured a dynamic mix of established icons and contemporary voices, reflecting multiple generations of Italian sound. The lineup included:
- Ditonellapiaga
- Michele Bravi
- Sayf
- Mara Sattei
- Dargen D’Amico
- Arisa
- Luchè
- Tommaso Paradiso
- Elettra Lamborghini
- Patty Pravo
- Samurai Jay
- Raf
- J-Ax
- Fulminacci
- Levante
- Fedez & Masini
- Ermal Meta
- Serena Brancale
- Nayt
- Malika Ayane
- Eddie Brock
- Sal Da Vinci
- Enrico Nigiotti
- Tredici Pietro
- Bambole di Pezza
- Chiello
- Maria Antonietta & Colombre
- Leo Gassmann
- Francesco Renga
- LDA & AKA 7even
Together, they underscore why Sanremo endures. It captures both nostalgia and new direction in one national moment.
Cultural Identity
At Sanremo, the stage is never just about song. It represents identity.
As the 76th edition unfolds, music, fashion, and Made in Italy excellence converge once again under the lights of the Ariston.
For more information about the Sanremo Festival , visit www.rai.it/programmi/sanremo/ and follow @sanremorai for daily updates.
To learn more about Stefano Ricci, visit: www.stefanoricci.com/en-us/ | @stefanoricciofficial.
