Italy will choose its comeback entry through Sanremo

According to the official confirmation "a specific jury will give a special prize to the artist best fit to represent our country in Germany", underlining that the winner of the Sanremo contest won't necessarily be the artist that will represent Italy in Düsseldorf.

No further news has been explained yet but the whole procedure will be clearly explained to the audience, as well as to the jury, during the Sanremo Festival. This is due to the traditional secrecy surrounding the participant songs, that are only heard in the first day of competition.

This is the complete list of artists taking part in Sanremo 2011:

• Patty Pravo
• Moda'
• Luca Madonia & Franco Battiato
• Giusy Ferreri
• La Crus
• Anna Oxa
• Tricarico
• Nathalie
• Al Bano
• Luca Barbarossa & Raquel del Rosario
• Roberto Vecchioni
• Anna Tatangelo
• Max Pezzali
• Davide Van De Sfroos

The impressive start list includes some previous Italian participants at the Eurovision Song Contest, like Franco Battiato (1984), Anna Oxa (1989), Al Bano (1976 & 1985) and Luca Barbarossa (1988), who duets with Raquel del Rosario, lead singer of the popular Spanish band El Sueño De Morfeo.

The Festival di Sanremo 2011 takes place between the 15th and the 19th of February and, as usual, will be broadcast live on RAI UNO and RAI International.

The last time Italy took part in Europe's favourite TV-show was in Dublin in 1997 with Sanremo winners Jalisse and their song Fiumi Di Parole placing 4th.