The launch of Italy's glitziest and most hyped television event of the year - the week-long Sanremo song festival - didn't exactly transfix the nation.
The festival's opening night, broadcast live on the state's flagship RAI-1 channel, attracted a smaller share of the TV audience than it has for the last eight years.
The on-stage music and entertainment, which featured a guest appearance by American rocker Lenny Kravitz and a routine by one of Italy's best-loved comedians, drew a 35% share which was nearly 9% down on last year.
''We're a bit disappointed because we did a good job, overhauled the festival and brought humour onto the stage,'' said veteran Sanremo host Pippo Baudo, who is now overseeing his 13th festival. Baudo noted that part of the songfest's traditional audience had been distracted by a grisly new development in the saga of two young boys who disappeared 18 months ago in the southern region of Puglia.
At the same time as Sanremo 2008 was taking off on RAI-1, two other channels were instead offering viewers the latest news on the discovery of two small skeletons at the bottom of a well.
Noting that the these events were more ''important'' than Sanremo, Baudo said he was confident that the rest of the week would go better for the festival.
Fabrizio Del Noce, head of RAI-1, admitted that the Sanremo viewing figures were ''surprising'', given the ''sparkling and innovative'' show that had been offered up to viewers.
He suggested that one factor might have been the decision to start the festival on Monday, and not on Tuesday, as was traditional. This could have ''disturbed'' the public, he said.
''In any case, you can't talk about viewing figures until the end,'' he added, confirming his confidence in Baudo and his co-host, comedian Piero Chiambretti.
The Italian media, usually quick to snipe at Sanremo, withheld immediate criticism or gave generally positive write-ups on Tuesday, noting that organisers were already grappling with budget constraints.
This year Baudo and his organising team have reportedly been obliged to tell potential star guests that they will have to come to Sanremo for free, their only pay-off being the visibility.
The festival usually draws 12-15 million viewers a night in Italy and millions more in other countries to which it is broadcast.
After a four-day lead-up, events will come to a close on Saturday night when a winning song and singer are announced amid fanfare and - usually - mild polemics.
Before then celebrities and foreign guests including Duran Duran and Leona Lewis will take the stage to do turns in between the Italian acts competing for the top prize in the song contest.
