Canzonissima Returns to Rai 1 with Milly Carlucci at the Helm

After a 51-year hiatus, the iconic Italian music show Canzonissima is making a comeback on Rai 1, premiering on Saturday, March 21, 2026, with Milly Carlucci as the host. The show will air in prime time and run for six episodes, concluding on an unspecified date. This marks a significant revival of a program that last aired officially between 1974 and 1975.

A New Format for a Classic Show

Unlike previous iterations of Canzonissima, where competing singers rarely performed repertoire songs, this edition will feature artists performing well-known classics. Each episode will center around a specific theme, with the first episode focusing on “the song of the heart.”

The Lineup

A stellar cast of Italian artists will participate, including Riccardo Cocciante, Arisa, Elio e le Storie Tese, Elettra Lamborghini, Enrico Ruggeri, Fausto Leali, Fabrizio Moro, Irene Grandi, Jalisse, Leo Gassmann, Malika Ayane, Michele Bravi, Paolo Jannacci, and tenor Vittorio Grigòlo.

Some of the planned performances for the first episode include:

• Enrico Ruggeri performing “Lontano dall’occhi” (Sergio Endrigo, 1969)
• Fabrizio Moro performing “Il mio canto libero” (Lucio Battisti, 1972)
• Leo Gassmann performing “Un giorno crede” (Edoardo Bennato, 1973)
• Michele Bravi performing “Ti lascio una canzone” (Gino Paoli and Ornella Vanoni, 1985)
• Fausto Leali performing “Pregherò” (Adriano Celentano, 1962)
• Malika Ayane performing “Città Empty” (Mina, 1963)
• Irene Grandi performing “Mi ordini in mente” (Lucio Battisti, 1969)
• Elettra Lamborghini performing “Bella vera” (883, 2001)
• Vittorio Grigolo performing “Nessun dorma” (Puccini’s “Turandot,” 1926)
• Elio and Storie Tese performing “Rock’n’Roll Robot” (Alberto Camerini, 1981)
• Jalisse performing “Sarà perco ti amo” (Ricchi e Poveri, 1981)

Voting System

The winner of each episode will be chosen through a three-tiered voting system. The audience will vote via social media using hearts and “likes,” mirroring the system used in Dancing with the Stars. The competing artists themselves will similarly vote, excluding their own performance. Finally, a panel of seven entertainment experts – dubbed the “Magnificent Seven” – will contribute to the final decision. The jury consists of Claudio Cecchetto, Francesca Fialdini, Pierluigi Pardo, Riccardo Rossi, Simona Izzo, Caterina Balivo, and Giacomo Maiolini.

Last Program at the Foro Italico

Canzonissima 2026 will be the last program broadcast from the Rai Auditorium at the Foro Italico, as Rai has not renewed its lease with Sport e Salute, the property owner.

A Familiar Tune

The theme song for this edition is an orchestral version of “Zum zum zum,” a song originally performed by 81 singers in the 1968 edition of Canzonissima.