Festival del Garda Launches Despite Weather, Featuring Music and Pageantry
The debut of the Festival del Garda was not spoiled even by bad weather. On Saturday, in the enchanting setting of the Vittoriale theater, the summer singing tour of Lake Garda experienced a delay in its schedule.
After drying the large wooden stage and fully restoring the sound and lighting systems, the event, in its sixth edition, officially opened shortly after 10 PM, engaging the audience with music and grace by Federica Moro, a professional host.
Federica Moro expressed her surprise at the beauty of the Benacus amphitheater. The show, which lasted nearly two hours, took place in front of an audience composed of mayors and administrators from Brescia, including the provincial tourism assessor Ermes Buffoli.
Participants and Audience
Among the spectators, mingling with the public and distant from the spotlight, was also the extraordinary commissioner of Riviera degli Olivi, Marco Zaninelli. The gala, charming and well-oiled in its mechanism, alternated music, beauty pageant, and laughter featuring the exuberant Giorgio Zanetti.
However, the evening, due to unpredictable weather and perhaps also because of the theater’s location away from Gardone’s center, did not attract a large crowd. About three hundred people attended, a figure lower than the usual numbers for the Festival del Garda.
The audience particularly appreciated the skill of the dance troupe directed by set designer Nando De Bortoli and the voice of Paolo Fin, a Warner production.
Performances and Musical Moments
Officially opening the Cantalago was Andrea Vantini, the artistic director of the event, who performed the unreleased song titled Storia, dedicated to Vittoriale.
Immediately after, all the announced guests performed on the suggestive stage, including the future queens of the singing tour: Elisa Antonelli with Innamorata ancora and Diletta Orlandi with Rain on the heart.
To break the melody, the Matross, five formidable rappers, made an appearance before the performance of the very young Elena Tavernini, the winner of the last edition of the Festival.
On stage, also Ivan Perda with Io Vivrò from Verona, Cristian Pighi with Eri così bella, and Ale Scatizzi, from Vicenza, with Il negozio dei giocattoli.
Guests and Next Stops
Before the show concluded, Federica Moro called on stage the distinguished guests: Gloria Zanin and Susanna Huckstep, two former Miss Italia titleholders, who will co-host the upcoming stages of the Festival.
Susanna Huckstep, from Trieste, will present the next stage of the Cantalago in Volta Mantovana on Friday evening, which will be the first qualifying night.
The event is organized by the Benacus association with the patronage of the Regions of Veneto and Lombardy, the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Garda Community, the tourism departments of Verona and Brescia provinces, and with the support of Azienda di promozione turistica Riviera degli Olivi.
