Gianni Mascolo
Encyclopedia
Gianni Mascolo is an Italian
singer, best known for his participation on behalf of Switzerland
in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest
.
At the age of 10, Mascolo joined the chorus of La Scala
in Milan, remaining there for five years until his voice broke. He then studied at the Milan Conservatory
, and graduated in pianoforte. He started singing in the Milan area, and was offered a recording contract with local label Ariston in 1964. The following year he participated in the San Remo Festival, duetting with Dusty Springfield
on the song "Di fronte all'amore", composed by Umberto Bindi
, which failed to progress to the final.
Following participation in several other music festivals, Mascolo was invited to take part in the Swiss Eurovision selection in 1968 with the song "Guardando il sole
" ("Looking at the Sun"), which won the competition and went forward to the 13th Eurovision Song Contest
, held in London
on 6 April. On the night, "Guardando il sole" only picked up two points (both from Yugoslavia
), to finish in joint 13th place of 17 entries.
Mascolo released his last single in 1969, before retiring from the music industry as the 1970s dawned. Rumours of Mascolo's death have circulated in Eurovision circles for several years; however it is now known that he runs a restaurant in Sydenham, southeast London, UK with his English wife.
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...
singer, best known for his participation on behalf of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
.
At the age of 10, Mascolo joined the chorus of La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan, remaining there for five years until his voice broke. He then studied at the Milan Conservatory
Milan Conservatory
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
, and graduated in pianoforte. He started singing in the Milan area, and was offered a recording contract with local label Ariston in 1964. The following year he participated in the San Remo Festival, duetting with Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
on the song "Di fronte all'amore", composed by Umberto Bindi
Umberto Bindi
Umberto Bindi was an Italian singer-songwriter.He is especially known for the popular song he co-wrote with Gino Paoli, Il Mio Mondo , which he recorded in Italian in 1963. It was later performed by singers in English and other languages.Bindi was born in Bogliasco , Italy, and was classically...
, which failed to progress to the final.
Following participation in several other music festivals, Mascolo was invited to take part in the Swiss Eurovision selection in 1968 with the song "Guardando il sole
Guardando il sole
"Guardando il sole" was the Swiss entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968, performed in Italian by Gianni Mascolo....
" ("Looking at the Sun"), which won the competition and went forward to the 13th Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1968
The Eurovision Song Contest 1968 was the 13th Eurovision Song Contest. The contest was won by the Spanish song "La, la, la", performed by Massiel....
, held in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 6 April. On the night, "Guardando il sole" only picked up two points (both from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
), to finish in joint 13th place of 17 entries.
Mascolo released his last single in 1969, before retiring from the music industry as the 1970s dawned. Rumours of Mascolo's death have circulated in Eurovision circles for several years; however it is now known that he runs a restaurant in Sydenham, southeast London, UK with his English wife.