Matia Bazar: RAI to air "Italian Sinfonia" special, marking 50 years since the debut album

Fifty years after the release of the debut self-titled album by Matia Bazar, released in March 1976, Rai Teche is dedicating a special to the Genoese band's origins, focusing in particular on the era marked by the voice of Antonella Ruggiero. The anthology "Matia Bazar – Italian sinfonia" will be available from March 27 on RaiPlay.

The selection brings together numerous television appearances and traces the band's stylistic evolution from its formation through the end of the 1980s, a period in which the group went through a phase of constant sonic transformation without losing its commercial footing. The journey begins with an episode of "Bim bum bam" from 25 February 1976, introduced by Bruno Lauzi, in which the origin of the band's name is recounted and the song "Per un'ora d'amore" is presented for the first time.

Among the key moments is the medley performed on "Che combinazione" in December 1978, bringing together some of the best-known songs from the band's early repertoire: "Stasera… che sera!", "Per un'ora d'amore", "Cavallo bianco", "Ma perché", "Mister mandarino", "Solo tu", "Tu semplicità". This is followed by the performance on "Tilt" on 13 December 1979 with "C'è tutto un mondo intorno", set within staging that was advanced for its time, featuring chroma key effects and experimental television direction.

A significant moment is the appearance on "Domenica in" in January 1982, hosted by Pippo Baudo, where the group performs songs from "Berlino, Parigi, Londra", an album that coincided with the arrival of keyboardist Mauro Sabbione and the band's opening up to electronic sounds and new wave influences.

There's no shortage of music videos for “Vacanze romane” and “Il video sono io”, both taken from the album “Tango”, which mark one of the band's creative peaks, blending electronic contamination, retro flair and an increasing focus on image.

The collection closes with their appearance on “Parola mia” on April 27, 1988, where Matia Bazar celebrate over a decade of activity by reinterpreting “Stasera che sera” in a swing key, enriched with instrumental improvisation and Antonella Ruggiero's vocal modulations.

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