As soon as the 1961 Festival di San Remo closed ('serata finale' on Monday, 6 February 1961) with 'Al di là' (Mogol-Carlo Donida) sung by old-timer Luciano Tajoli and new-face Betty Curtis as the winner, Ezio Radaelli, the Festival big boss summoned Teddy Reno to his office and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Knowing before-hand Teddy was dead-set in giving up his singing career, Radaelli entrusted Ferruccio Ricordi (Teddy's real name) to take charge of a troupe of Italian singers on a long tour through some countries in Europe, South America and the USA.
Teddy, who had already been to South America at least 4 times before was excited to be the captain of such a bevy of talents and be able to lead them through lands most of them had never seen. The idea was to put on a show called 'San Remo nel Mondo' which emulated the Festival itself with many of the original artists (Tajoli and Reno himself) singing songs they introduced at the Festival in late January and early February. This was the original idea which had to be tampered with because South American audiences were not interested in new material but wanted to listen to songs they already knew by heart.
'Il Musichiere', 11 February 1961, with Luciano Tajoli on the cover. 'Al di là' was the winner but '24 mila baci', sung by Adriano Celentano was the most popular song shooting to Number One immediately...
These were the 12 finalist songs chosen among 24 in 1961: 'Al di là' was the winner but 'Ventiquattromila baci' was the one which went to Number One in the country's charts. San Remo 1961 revealed or acknowledged many acts that would play major roles in the future of Italian pop music like Milva, Pino Donaggio and Edoardo Vianello ('Che freddo'). Mina who would soon become the greatest Italian female singer - felt underestimated and would never set her feet at San Remo again.
Wilma de Angelis presented 'Patatina' (Migliacci-Meccia) which was also sung by Gianni Meccia; Jolanda Rossin sang 'Libelulle' (Viezzoli-Testa) sharing it with Joe Sentiere; Silvia Guidi introduced 'Notturno senza luna' (Giovanni-D'Anzi) with Aura D'Angelo; Aurelio Fierro sang 'Tu con me' (Amurri-Ballotta) with Carla Boni.
2nd March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' - One day before 'San Remo nel Mondo' was supposed to open at Teatro Paramount in São Paulo, the advertising was still embarrassingly mistaken. Neither Carla Bonni (sic), Jula de Palma, Mina, Milva or Irma (?) were in the line-up. Claudio Villa actually traveled to Rio and São Paulo but never made it to the stage.
3rd March 1961 (Thursday) - 'Diário da Noite' reports that due to a delay in the departure of an Aerolíneas Argentinas jet from Paris the troupe had to re-arrange their schedule in São Paulo. They missed a function at Circolo Italiano and their opening night at Teatro Paramount had to be postponed.
5 March 1961 (Sunday) - 'O Estado de S.Paulo' review of 'San Remo nel Mondo' opening on Saturday, 4 March 1961 corroborates Brazilian reality. San Remo was too far away in a strange continent with a different latitude. Brazilians were not interested in new songs but wanted to hear old songs they already knew by heart. The highlights of the night were Teddy Reno with 'Guaglione' / 'Picollissima serenata' and Luciano Tajoli with standards like 'Anema e core' / 'Vurria'. Brazilians would have to wait for another 2 years to take 'Al di là' to # 1 in the charts when it came back via Hollywood, USA in the travelogue 'Rome adventure' (O candelabro italiano) with Suzanne Pleshette & Troy Donahue.
The OESP music columnist showed his cultural cringe when he put down songs with a Spanish colour: 'Algumas das músicas mais novas nunca poderão cair na preferência do público pois são composições híbridas em que num rítmo monótono de cha-cha-cha, se fazem alusões às terras de Espanha, ciganos e outras coisas de mau gosto...' Not happy with that he goes on saying: Jolanda Rossini impressionou pela voz embora também feito sua 'incursão' pela Espanha... Silvia Guidi cantou um 'Flamenco rock' (originally recorded by Milva), inteiramente inexpressivo. The columnist showed his ignorance and arrogance for our very own Celly Campello, Queen of Brazilian Rock, would cover 'Flamenco rock' for Odeon in 1962, actually being the last song Celly recorded before getting married and leaving show business forever.
6 March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' - the original line up with such stars as Mina, Milva and Jula de Palma never made it to Brazil, Argentina or the USA. Judging by the size of Teatro Paramount the Italian tour must have made a lot of money for they filled it twice a day: one at 4:00 pm and the second at 9:00 pm. Note the misspelling of proper names like Jolanda Rossini, Tony Dallara anda Maestro Meraviglia pseudonym of Bruno Canfora. Sometimes they also misspelt Luciano Tajoli too.
6 March 1961 - Monday - 'Diário da Noite', a newspaper linked to Emissoras Associadas which signed the revue 'San Remo nel Mondo' trumpets its utter success at Teatro Paramount, 'Associação Brasileira A Hebraica' at Alameda Gabriel Monteiro da Silva on Friday and at the streets of Brás, the Italian inner borough on Sunday, 5 March 1961.
'San Remo nel Mondo' visit Brás on Sunday - Wilma de Angelis & Aurelio Fierro are 'mobbed' by a crowd of Italian-Brazilians in Brás, a São Paulo inner borough with a huge Italian immigrant presence. Fierro was asked to sing some of his Napolitan songs which he gladly obliged.
6 March 1961 - Miranda Martino & Claudio Villa arrive at Congonhas Airport on Monday, 6 March; Miss Martino would join the troupe on the very Monday but Claudio Villa was nowhere to be seen. Mr Villa must have performed in Buenos Aires only.
6 March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' - The revue 'San Remo nel Mondo' ended up opening at 'A Hebraica' on Saturday, 4 March 1961; on Tuesday, 6 March 1961, they sang at Sociedade Harmonia de Tennis in Pinheiros.
6 March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' - Luciano Tajoli & Wilma de Angelis on the stage of Teatro Paramount.
7 March 1961 (Tuesday) - 'Diário da Noite' keeps its coverage of 'San Remo nel Mondo'; one can spot Tony Dallara at the centre of the table in some restaurant Claudio Villa & Miranda Martino arrived on Monday on a domestic flight from Rio de Janeiro, and were visibly shaken by an accident with an Iberia jet they witnessed at Congonhas Airport. Both singers went straight to Hotel Jaraguá where they other members of the troupe were.
7 March 1961 - 'San Remo nel Mondo' finally opens at 'A Hebraica' on the Friday. From left to right: Aurelio Fierro, Teddy Reno, Wilma de Angelis, Luciano Taijoli, Silvia Guidi, Jolanda Rossin, orchestra conductor Bruno Canfora and Miranda Martino.
7 March 1961 (Tuesday) - 'San Remo nel Mondo' is shown on video-tape at 8:00 pm on TV Tupi and at 10:30 pm on TV Cultura; at 9:00 pm they perform live at Teatro Paramount.
7 March 1961 - Night-life OESP columnist Mary Wynne says in her daily column 'Carrossel' the 11 artists of the 'San Remo nel Mondo' revue were feasted in many places in São Paulo during their 7-day stint: on Saturday, 5th they were honoured with a formal lunch at 11:00 o'clock at jewelry H. Stern's lounge; after the performance at Teatro Paramount they were giving a dinner by Mr Rogerio Fasano at Fasano's Winter Garden in which Vadeco-Odilon - the best musical combo in town - offered a special show.
8 March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' - Silvia Guidi on stage at Teatro Paramount. 1. Teddy Reno; 2. Luciano Tajoli; 3. Aurelio Fierro; 4. Tony Dallara; 5. Fantanicchio; 6. Wilma de Angelis; 7. Jolanda Rossin; 8. Silvia Guidi; 9. Edna Montanari; 10. conductor Bruno Canfora; 11. Claudio Villa. Soon after the last concert tomorrow night at Teatro Paramount all will be going to Boite Bambú to unwind and have a little fun.
9 March 1961 (Thursday) - 'Diário da Noite' front page ad of 'Sanremo nel Mondo's final curtain.
9 March 1961 - 'Diário da Noite' Radio & TV section: 'San Remo nel Mondo' last performance in São Paulo, started at 9:15 pm and ended at midnight; two and three quarters of an hour.
Silvia Guidi & Jolanda Rossin at Shangai Amusement Park in São Paulo.
Jolanda Rossin was born in January 1941, in Alessandria. In 1957 entered 'Voci e voltli della fortuna', singing competition which made her known to maestro Gian Stellari who believed in her talent.
Edda Montanari signs autographs to Argentine fans in Buenos Aires.
Teddy Reno watches while Luciano Tajoli gives the golden key of New York's Carnegie Hall to Bertolini, the director of Casinò di San Remo.
Teddy Reno & Luciano Tajoli at a press conference in New York, March 1961.
Fantanicchio's father welcomes his son and wife who accompanied her son during the 40 days they traveled through Europe, South & North America.
'Il Musichiere' (15 Aprile 1961) long article about 'Sanremo nel Mondo' revue which started in Paris, then crossed the Atlantic Ocean to São Paulo, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Argentina, New York and Chicago, U.S.A.
Tony Dallara claims singing at New York Carnegie Hall brought him more excitement than winning San Remo on 30 January 1960 with 'Romantica'. I didn't sing any songs that reminded the expats of Old Italy but 'Un uomo', 'Romantica' and 'Come prima' and the audience was widely receptive. I was also surprised to be asked to sing 'Ghiaccio bollente' and 'Cinzia' which I thought were only known in Italy. Perry Como came to see us and took me to NBC to show us how colour TV works.
Fantanicchio dances with Miranda Martino at the farewell-party just before they flew back to Italy. Luciano Tajoli tells 'Il Musichiere' he had kidney pains after the Carnegie Hall presentation on 25 March 1961, and had to stay back at the hotel in New York. I placed a long-distance call to Chicago's Opera House to tell its manager why I had to stay back. He asked me if I'd like to ringa at 10:30 pm while the show was on... and then I told the audience through a telephone in N.Y. I was really sorry I wasn't there. I was asked to sing a little and I started with the first strains of 'Al di là'...the applause of the Chicago audience made me cry.
Wilma de Angelis was amazed by the sheer number of Italian immigrants that populate the New Continent. In Buenos Aires she felt like she was back in Italy for everyone spoke Italian everywhere she went. In restaurants especially they spoke Italian non-stop...and when we left they sent regards for their relatives still living in Italy.
Teddy Reno considers the importance of music to Italians in general: the tour of so many Italian singers together may not have brought in millions but set the stage for various acts to sign advantageous contracts with Brazilian, Argentine and US night-clubs and TV stations. Luciano Tajoli, Aurelio Fierro & Claudio Villa signed with TV Tupi in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Mr. Reno adds that it was an honour to be received officially by President Arturo Frondizi at Casa Rosada, himself the son of Italian immigrants from Gubbio who arrived in Argentina in 1890.
Aurelio Fierro says he'll never forget the warmth he received from Naepolitans living in São Paulo, Brazil when he visited Brás. It seemed like I was in Margellina, valets, pizza cooks, the same clothes hanging from balconies and children playing on the streets. Mr. Fierro declares the only sad instance in the tour was Claudio Villa's abbandonment of the troupe claiming he wouldn't fly the rest of the tour in a tourist section. He was probably jealous of the acclaim and applause most of us singers got from the audiences.
Silvia Guidi says she had never fainted in her life, until she arrived in São Paulo and saw an enormous crowd of people running towards them at the Airport. She fainted dead away. Afterwards she got used to signing autographs and was at peace with any crowd.
Miranda Martino missed the Paris leg of the tour and only joined the troupe in São Paulo: "In the U.S.A. people asked me to sing 'Maria Canaria' which I had recorded 5 years ago at Fonit. At first I thought it 'strange' but then I obliged them and I was happy!" Miss Martino alongside Teddy Reno and Tony Dallara appeared at a musical show on NBC TV.
Fantanicchio says he learned how to be a better singer during the 40 days he spent among so many cognoscenti. "In New York I sang a rock'n'roll number and was afraid it might be seen as ridiculous but to my surprise I was cheered by the crowd which gave me a good feeling. I never forget the night I spend wandering in Harlem".
Edda Montanari tells a tale about her impression of American Black people at a certain night club she went to. In the end the Italian singers joined the Afro-American people in some songs accompanied by a Black pianist.
Jolanda Rossin was pleasantly surprised in Buenos Aires when she noticed Argentines still remembered her from her first visit a year before when she won the First Festival of Italian Music in Argentina.
Luciano Tajoli (*17 April 1920 +3rd August 1996) had the honour to meet Nat King Cole (*17 March 1919 +15 February 1965) in the flesh in New York.
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