Rapsodia
Encyclopedia
"Rapsodia" was the Italian
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992
, performed in Italian
by Mia Martini
, one of Italy's most successful and celebrated female artists of all time, making her second appearance in the Contest after 1977's "Libera
", which finished 13th in a field of 18 participating countries.
The song is a dramatic and despairing ballad, in which Martini sings about two "old lovers" who happen to meet in a bar. She sings that they have "left their families, betrayed their friends" as part of their quest for "another youth", still "they don't want advice about how to be happy". They ask themselves "who they really are", as they sit there "worn out, ashamed, yet sincere", wondering "why it all had to end", confessing that they can't get "this life" to work out. The entire situation is described as "this immense and hopeless rhapsody", and as the old lovers leave the bar - and each other - they both become "songs of once upon a time".
The song was performed nineteenth on the night, following Denmark
's Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson with "Alt det som ingen ser
" and preceding Yugoslavia's "Extra Nena" with "Ljubim te pesmama
". At the close of voting, it had received 111 points, including 12 points from France, Finland, Norway and The Netherlands, 10 points from Cyprus and Iceland, and 8 points from Sweden and Portugal, placing it 4th in a field of 23, a considerably better result than in 1977.
"Rapsodia" was succeeded as Italian representative
at the 1993 Contest
by Enrico Ruggeri
with "Sole d'Europa
".
Three years after participating in the contest Martini unexpectedly died, at just 47 years old.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992
Eurovision Song Contest 1992
The Eurovision Song Contest 1992 was the 37th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1992 in Malmö, Sweden. The presenters were Lydia Cappolicchio and Harald Treutiger. Linda Martin, representing Ireland, was the winner of this Eurovision with the song Why Me?. The song was written by Johnny...
, performed in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
by Mia Martini
Mia Martini
Mia Martini was an Italian singer.-Early life:Born Domenica Bertè in 1947 in Bagnara Calabra , she moved to Rome with her sister and her friend Renato Zero.-Career:She recorded her first records as Mimì Berté, but she soon decided to change her name to Mia...
, one of Italy's most successful and celebrated female artists of all time, making her second appearance in the Contest after 1977's "Libera
Libera (song)
"Libera" was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in Italian by Mia Martini, at the time arguably Italy's most successful and celebrated female artist, having had a number of hits like "Padre davvero...", "Gesù è mio fratello" , "Credo", "Piccolo uomo", "Donna sola" ,...
", which finished 13th in a field of 18 participating countries.
The song is a dramatic and despairing ballad, in which Martini sings about two "old lovers" who happen to meet in a bar. She sings that they have "left their families, betrayed their friends" as part of their quest for "another youth", still "they don't want advice about how to be happy". They ask themselves "who they really are", as they sit there "worn out, ashamed, yet sincere", wondering "why it all had to end", confessing that they can't get "this life" to work out. The entire situation is described as "this immense and hopeless rhapsody", and as the old lovers leave the bar - and each other - they both become "songs of once upon a time".
The song was performed nineteenth on the night, following Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson with "Alt det som ingen ser
Alt Det Som Ingen Ser
"Alt det som ingen ser" was the Danish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992, performed in Danish by Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson....
" and preceding Yugoslavia's "Extra Nena" with "Ljubim te pesmama
Ljubim te pesmama
"Ljubim te pesmama" was the Yugoslav entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1992, sung in Serbo-Croatian by Snežana Berić, also known as Extra Nena...
". At the close of voting, it had received 111 points, including 12 points from France, Finland, Norway and The Netherlands, 10 points from Cyprus and Iceland, and 8 points from Sweden and Portugal, placing it 4th in a field of 23, a considerably better result than in 1977.
"Rapsodia" was succeeded as Italian representative
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
Italy participated in the Eurovision Song Contest frequently from 1956 to 1997. It was one of only seven countries that competed at the very first contest...
at the 1993 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1993
The Eurovision Song Contest 1993 was the 38th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 15 May 1993 in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. The presenter was Fionnuala Sweeney. Niamh Kavanagh was the winner of this Eurovision for Ireland with the song, "In Your Eyes"...
by Enrico Ruggeri
Enrico Ruggeri
Enrico Ruggeri is an Italian rock singer-songwriter.-Biography:A native of Milan, Ruggeri made his debut in the 1970s with the punk band Decibel...
with "Sole d'Europa
Sole D'Europa
"Sole d'Europa" was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, performed in Italian by Enrico Ruggeri....
".
Three years after participating in the contest Martini unexpectedly died, at just 47 years old.