The 74th edition of the Sanremo Italian Song Festival recently concluded. Hosted by Amadeus, this latest edition achieved record viewership, confirming the Festival as Italy’s most successful show with immense public interest.

Today, we meet the owner of the Teatro Ariston, Carla Vacchino, a successful Italian entrepreneur who, alongside her brother Walter, daughter Chiara, and nephew Andrea, manages the most famous theater in Italy.

Born in Sanremo, Carla’s father, Aristide, began construction of the Ariston in 1953 and inaugurated it in 1963. This immense and majestic structure was astonishing for the technology used at the time.

While primarily used as a year-round cinema and for various theatrical performances, the theater gained national fame since the 1970s for hosting the annual Festival della Canzone Italiana, commonly known as the Sanremo Festival.

Witnessing the theater’s birth as a child, Carla remembers every edition of the Festival. She recounts: “As a child, I remember the Festival being broadcast from the Sanremo Casino. But in 1977, due to security concerns, they asked us to organize it at the Ariston. In a few days, my family and I were ready to host Festival at Ariston Theatre. That year it was presented by Mike Bongiorno and broadcasted in color for the first time. Since then, the Ariston has become the iconic temple of Italian music. All the international music stars and more have passed through here.“

Among the funniest anecdotes, she recalls the Duran Duran leaving the theater secretly in an ambulance to escape the throng of fans. Elton John changing his costumes in the elevator and only drinking cranberry juice, which was impossible to find in the city. Madonna requesting a power transformer for her American hairdryers. And a dressing room door being widened at Pavarotti’s request.

In recent years, the Sanremo Festival has opened up to diverse musical tastes across generations. Not only traditional Italian light music, but also rap, trap, and rock have found their expression on the Ariston stage. Additionally, Italy has been participating in the Eurovision Song Contest for some years now. The selection of songs and singers has recently strengthened Italy’s position in this international event, making the Ariston and Sanremo increasingly famous worldwide.

 “While we eagerly wait to discover the next presenters of Sanremo 2025, let’s savor the atmosphere of the recently concluded event that once again gifted us with great emotions,” concludes Carla.

Thank you to Carla Vacchino and the Teatro Ariston of Sanremo.