| "Aprite le finestre" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single byFranca Raimondi | |
| Language | Italian |
| Released | 1956 |
| Composer | Virgilio Panzuti |
| Lyricist | Pino Perotti |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1956 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist | |
| Language | |
| Composer | Virgilio Panzuti |
| Lyricist | Pino Perotti |
| Conductor | Gian Stellari |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 2nd |
| Final points | - |
| Entry chronology | |
| "Amami se vuoi" (1956) ► | |
"Aprite le finestre" ("Open the windows") is an Italian song byFranca Raimondi. It was composed by Virgilio Panzuti, with lyrics by Gian Stellari. It won thesixth edition of theSanremo Music Festival and subsequentlyrepresented Italy in thefirst edition of theEurovision Song Contest. It was the first-ever entry from Italy, and the first-ever entry in Italian, performed in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The song was composed by Virgilio Panzuti, with lyrics by Gian Stellari. It is in theTuscanstornelli [it] style, withFranca Raimondi singing about the joy of Spring (described as "a festival of love") beginning and her desire to open the windows to let the new season in.[1][2]
On 9 March 1956, Raimondi performed "Aprite le finestre" for the first time, during the second night of thesixth edition of theSanremo Music Festival, placing first and advancing to the final. On 10 March 1956, she performed the song again in the final, placing first again and winning the festival.
Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI) used that Sanremo to select its songs and performers for thefirst edition of theEurovision Song Contest, and as the contest rules allowed two entries per country, the two best placed entries in Sanremo became the entries for Eurovision: winner "Aprite le finestre" by Franca Raimondi and runner-up "Amami se vuoi" byTonina Torrielli.
On 24 May 1956, the first Eurovision Song Contest was held atTeatro Kursaal inLugano hosted byRadio svizzera italiana (RSI) on behalf of theSwiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Raimondi performed "Aprite le finestre" seventh on the evening, followingLuxembourg's "Ne crois pas" byMichèle Arnaud and preceding theNetherlands' "Voorgoed voorbij" byCorry Brokken. Gian Stellari conducted the live orchestra in the performance of the Italian entries. Points and final placings at this contest have never been revealed, meaning that the only statement which can be made about the song's final position was that it did not win.[3][4][5][6]
The songs were succeeded as Italian representative at the1957 contest by "Corde della mia chitarra" performed byNunzio Gallo.
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy (Hit Parade)[7] | 1 |
Artists who recorded cover versions of the song includeNilla Pizzi,Quartetto Cetra,Achille Togliani,Fiorella Bini [it], andLina Lancia [it].[2][8] A Finnish version with the title "Kesällä kerran" was recorded byOlavi Virta.[9]