A truly magical evening unfolded at the Opening Party of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, Italy’s leading entertainment brand, which once again traditionally kicked off the week dedicated to the Sanremo Festival and its stars.

Last night, Sunday 22 February, more than 530 guests gathered at the prestigious Royal Hotel in Sanremo alongside the Sorrisi editorial team. Among those attending were Carlo Conti, Artistic Director and host of the Festival, Laura Pausini, singer and co-host, the artists competing in the Festival, and numerous figures from the world of entertainment. The exclusive event celebrated the music and history of the Festival through shared emotional moments and a special live performance.

Two particularly meaningful moments framed the evening: the presentation of the Telegatto, one of Italy’s most beloved entertainment awards, to Carlo Conti and Laura Pausini. The awards were presented by Aldo Vitali, Editor-in-Chief of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, in recognition of their leadership of the Festival.

OVER 530 DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

Festival contestants were, of course, in attendance, including: Arisa, Bambole di pezza, Chiello, D’Argen D’Amico, Ditonellapiaga, Eddie Brock, Elettra Lamborghini, Enrico Nigiotti, Ermal Meta, Fedez e Marco Masini, Francesco Renga, Fulminacci, J-Ax, LDA e Aka 7even, Leo Gassmann, Levante, Luchè, Malika Ayane, Mara Sattei, Maria Antonietta e Colombre, Michele Bravi, Nayt, Raf, Sal Da Vinci, Samurai Jay, Sayf, Serena Brancale, Tommaso Paradiso and Tredici Pietro. Also present were contestants from the “Giovani” category, including Angelica Bove, Nicolò Filippucci, Mazzariello and Blind, El Ma & Soniko, as well as the DopoFestival hosts Nicola Savino, Enrico Cremonesi, Aurora Leone and Federico Basso. Entertainment personalities such as Alba Parietti, Caterina Balivo, Giorgia Surina and Mattia Stanga also attended.

There were many emotional moments during the Opening Party, which began with the ribbon cutting during which Aldo Vitali, director of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, together with Carlo Conti, officially opened the evening at Sorrisi The Beach Club, the new venue that will host the brand’s editorial team throughout the Sanremo week.

“We are proud that TV Sorrisi e Canzoni is the reference point for the public and for the artists who, year after year, enthusiastically take part in our initiatives. Together we celebrate the passion and magic that make the Sanremo Festival an extraordinary event for all Italian music,” declared Aldo Vitali, director of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni.

THE SORRISI OPENING PARTY

The evening took place in a spirit of conviviality and surprises: guests at the Party were surprised by an exclusive flash mob by the group ANIMEniacs Corp, specialised in performing cartoon soundtracks and the songs most loved by the public, who performed a mashup dedicated to the historic hits of the Sanremo Festival: “Volare” by Domenico Modugno, “Io Che Amo Solo Te” by Sergio Endrigo, “Un’avventura” by Lucio Battisti, “24mila Baci” by Adriano Celentano, “Felicità” by Al Bano and Romina Power, “L’italiano” by Toto Cutugno, “Cuore Matto” by Little Tony, “Maledetta Primavera” by Loretta Goggi, “Come Saprei” by Giorgia, “Occidentali’s Karma” by Francesco Gabbani, “Sinceramente” by Annalisa, “Ringo Starr” by Pinguini Tattici Nucleari, “Zitti E Buoni” by Måneskin, “La Noia” by Angelina Mango, “Soldi” by Mahmood, “Balorda Nostalgia” by Olly, “Perché Sanremo È Sanremo” by Pippo Caruso and Sergio Bardotti.

From 10 p.m. until midnight, guests danced to the DJ set by Tommaso Replica and his most famous remixes, which have also gone viral on TikTok, from “How Deep Is Your Love?” to “Giovani Wannabe”, up to “Armarcord” and “Uragani”.

Guests were delighted throughout the evening by champagne from Comte de Montaigne, exceptional partner of Sorrisi, which offered its prestigious cuvées and brought into the room a collectible Mathusalem bottle signed by the artists as a memento of the incredible evening.

TV Sorrisi e Canzoni’s passion for music was also celebrated through the confectionery creation by Lavoratti 1938: a dessert displayed on a piano-shaped structure, a direct tribute to music and to the beating heart of Sanremo, presenting three exclusive single-portion creations made with unmistakable single-origin Ecuador chocolate.

Finally, accompanying the event was Martini, which throughout the evening served guests its iconic spritzes, in the Bianco Spritz, Bitter Spritz and Vibrante Spritz (a non-alcoholic version of the classic cocktail).

SORRISI THE BEACH CLUB

The party took place in the new Sorrisi The Beach Club, which welcomed the guests and artists in attendance. The structure is built around the swimming pool of the exclusive Royal Hotel Sanremo: a brand-new space of over 500 square metres where the brand will host a programme of interviews with all the protagonists of the new edition of the Festival and which, starting today, Monday 23 at 5:30 p.m., will open its doors to the public. From here, the Sorrisi community will not only be able to see the arrival of guests but also enjoy exclusive experiences thanks to the many partners accompanying the brand in this adventure.

The structure is designed to guide each guest through an immersive experience with the evocative swimming pool designed by Giò Ponti as a backdrop.

Sorrisi The Beach Club will host a continuous daily schedule of interviews with all the artists and guests of the event thanks to dedicated formats such as Colazioni con il direttore in collaboration with Caffè Motta, during which Aldo Vitali, director of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, will speak with five competing artists: one per day, in the morning, from Tuesday to Saturday. The Aperitivi format offered by partner Martini will also be active, animating Sorrisi The Beach Club from late afternoon with an exceptional drink list dedicated to Spritz. There will also be the new #lavaligiadisanremo in collaboration with Mandarina Duck, in which artists share the one item that must never be missing from their suitcases. Finally, Gimme Five, the vodcast by Jody Cecchetto, turns the interview format on its head by transforming each question into a top five. Each artist tells their story through five choices and five stories generated from a question by Jody, bringing out intimate, ironic and surprising anecdotes.

The TikTok profile (@tvsorrisi) will be the heart of the most authentic storytelling of the event and the Sanremo week, featuring backstage content, interviews, meetings with creators and artists, and many exclusive moments.

EVENT PARTNERS

Numerous partners involved by Piemmethe exclusive partner of TV Sorrisi e Canzoni and Mondadori Media brandschose to support the world’s leading entertainment title customised partnership projects and activities that helped enhance the experience and impact of the exclusive Opening Party. Amonge them: ActionAid as charity partner, ANAS, Caffè Motta, Calligaris, Colgate, Ford, Gelateria La Romana dal 1947, Grotte di Frasassi, KIKO Milano, Mielizia, Muitomas and Roborock.

Primark, the international fashion retailer with over 470 stores in 18 countries, also collaborated on the Sorrisi Party. Together with Eleonora Fincati, a content creator with an ironic tone, the brand brought energy, style and accessibility to one of the most anticipated events of the week, celebrating fashion as an expression of personality and fun.

Here is the link to download the press photo kit.

TV Sorrisi e Canzoni is the Mondadori Group brand that serves as a reference point for television and entertainment lovers, reaching every month 2.6 million readers (source Audipress 2025/I), 4.2 million website users (source Audiweb Jan–Oct 2025) and 1.15 million fans (source social insights IG, FB, TikTok, X, YouTube) thanks to a multi-channel system that ranges from the magazine to the website, social media, events and related products.