Today's episode focuses on just one varietà but it's an important one: Canzonissima. This series featured on Italian television screens throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s (even if it did undergo occasional changes in title) and helped to launch and establish many famous faces in this period. The premise of the show was a song competition that was linked to the New Year's National Lottery in Italy and viewers were encouraged to vote each week for their favourite singer by sending in postcards, which would then also be entered into the draw for lottery prizes. In this episode, I'm joined by TV expert and fan of Canzonissima, Giancarlo Lombardi, and together we uncover and discuss the different elements of the show that made it so popular.
Apologies for the sound quality of this episode in places (due to the challenges of recording online) but hopefully this will not affect your enjoyment of Canzonissima!
