Amadeus and Lucio Presta said goodbye. Another sensational divorce in the world of entertainment for a de facto couple. A very long partnership that also spanned the last four Sanremo festivals, but did not survive the fifth. The confirmed news was expected from Italia Oggi, but for the moment both the host and the manager have chosen the path of silence. The reason for the separation would be – writes Italia Oggi – “work and professional differences that began last year” and which the Sanremo Festival would have exacerbated in a certain way because in recent years the work of the host and artistic director has increased there was profound and fruitful: “Amadeus felt free to work more and more independently, not only in the selection of competing singers, but also in the selection of guests, over whom Presta had had a say in the past.” So bye.
The tensions between Amadeus and Presta are not new, rumors of a separation between the two have been circulating for some time, and the increasing separation at home despite professional problems – especially Sanremo – may have been the glue. Rumors spread and could no longer be contained when Amadeus announced his decision to Rai. At that point, the private messages quickly became public. Recently, Lucio Presta has expanded his already broad horizons and proven himself even more active in the television market, starting with the new collaboration with Checco Zalone, a remarkable coup that saw his production company (Arcobaleno Tre, of which he was the founder while his son Niccolò is now sole director) followed the entire tour. In addition, the manager has also made signings with Barbara D'Urso and Myrta Merlino, Bianca Berlinguer and Nunzia De Girolamo. Obligations added to an already meeting-filled agenda, a revolution that may have helped erode relationships with the old guard of its clients (Antonella Clerici, however, has just renewed her agreement with Presta).
What certainly stands out is that Amadeus' decision to break off the relationship with its historic manager a little more than a month before the Sanremo Festival (scheduled for February 6th to 10th), just before the most important date for him, is a sign A friendship that is obviously so frayed if it couldn't hold out for another forty days. So there will be no Presta in Sanremo, who has always been Amadeus' shadow man in recent years and twice (2020 and 2023) brought Benigni – one of his many customers – out of the hat as a super guest. Italia Oggi also records friction with another “face” of Lucio Presta, namely Paolo Bonolis: “His wife Sonia Bruganelli has certainly distanced herself from the manager” (who, however, has also distanced himself from her husband, since they are now separated). Fact, as they themselves said, ed. Red.) and which is now increasingly represented by Gabriele Parpiglia. However, Presta's portfolio remains rich: among many are Marco Liorni (on the rise), Ezio Greggio, Eleonora Daniele, Lorella Boccia, Giulio Golia, Giovanni Vernia and of course his wife Paola Perego.