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«The first edition of the Taormina Music Awards gives us exactly the meaning of the challenge that we wanted to launch with the Foundation: not simply adding another event to the calendar, but building a new appointment – declares the mayor of the City of Taormina Cateno De Luca – The Ancient Theater welcomed different artists, languages and generations, transforming itself for one evening into a great stage of Italian music. We started from here, but the ambition is to grow this project year after year, strengthening its identity, quality and international dimension. Taormina must continue to be the place where major events are not just hosted, but are born, grow and become part of the city’s identity.”
«This first edition represents the beginning of a journey – states Valeria Brancato, President of the Taormina Foundation – We wanted to build an event that went beyond the dimension of the single concert, putting music and its protagonists at the center through performances, stories and awards designed to enhance different artistic paths and identities. The response of the public and the quality of the artists who shared this first edition with us confirm that all the conditions exist for the Taormina Music Awards to grow and give them an increasingly stronger and more recognizable character. A result that comes from great team work. I would like to thank the entire Board of Directors of the Taormina Foundation, the superintendent Rosario Coppolino and Niccolò Petitto, who oversaw the production and artistic direction of the event, together with all those who, with professionalism and commitment, contributed to the realization of this first edition”.
The event, hosted by Bianca Guaccero and Pino Strabioli, opened with performances by Alessio Bondì and Mille, and then continued with performances and dialogues on stage by Serena Brancale, Willie Peyote, Ditonellapiaga and Ermal Meta. One of the culminating moments of the evening was the presentation of the prestigious Taormina Centauro Award to Marco Masini by the mayor of Taormina Cateno De Luca, followed by the performance of Diodato.
The Legend Music Award was awarded to Vasco Rossi; unable to participate in the event, Vasco received the recognition previously from the President of the Foundation Valeria Brancato and from the deputy mayor Alessandra Cullurà.
The evening was enriched by the original combination of music, piano and comedy by Carlo Amleto and by the incursions of the overwhelming Barbara Foria, as well as by the backstage connections of Andrea Dianetti and Giulia Penna, soon visible on the social networks of the event.
On stage Marco Savatteri’s company, Savatteri Produzioni, and the dance troupe, entirely made up of Sicilian artists, who thrilled the audience with choreographies created by Irma di Paola specifically for this live event.
Below are the artists and awards from the first edition of the event:
ALESSIO BONDÌ – Taormina Music Award Radici
SERENA BRANCALE – Taormina Music Award Mediterranean
DIODATO – Taormina Music Award Scripta Volant
DITONELLAPIAGA – Taormina Music Award Artist of the Year
MARCO MASINI – Taormina Centauro Award
ERMAL META – Taormina Music Award Author’s Notes
THOUSAND – Taormina Music Award Revelation
WILLIE PEYOTE – Taormina Music Award Voice Outside the Choir
VASCO ROSSI – Taormina Legend Award