Standing ovation for little Francesco Pio Manzi, 11 years old from Foggia, ‘a singer from times gone by’, first to perform in the third episode of the new talent show hosted by Milly Carlucci ‘L’acchiappatalenti’, in prime time on Rai Uno.
Before singing ‘I want to live like this’ in the first round live from the Rai Auditorium of the Foro Italico, he introduced himself to the general public. “I like playing football, seeing Foggia, then singing and antiques. I got this passion from my uncle, who has a beautiful house, full of antiques. I bought the record player and also the gramophone, and he also gave me some records. My idols are Enrico Caruso, Carlo Buti and Daniele Serra. I often go to the stadium, in Curva Nord, and they call me the little flag-waver. My talent is singing.”
Francesco Pio doesn’t like modern and electronic things. He has an old model cell phone without internet, which he only needs to make calls. “My friends complain because I don’t have social media, but I’m fine with that”has explained.
“He is one of the few children who would still like to go down the street to play – said the father – but he never finds anyone, so many times I accompany him, because the kids are now all in front of these little games. Instead he wants to go to the streets to play.”
And if his uncle who listened to opera music passed on to him this passion, the passion for Foggia is his “came spontaneously”.
He expressed the desire that an unconventional ‘talent catcher’ like him would choose him. And he was ‘caught’ by Francesco Paolantoni, talent scout together with Wanda Nara, Teo Mammucari, Mara Maionchi and Sabrina Salerno, who fight to conquer the best talent to take to the final with the hammer.
In Foggia, however, another talent scout, maestro Giulia Panettieri, was rooting for him.
“My infallible instinct was not wrong this time, congratulations, you are extraordinary. Do you remember ‘Il Volo from many years ago’? This guy here tore them up.”said Paolantoni.
Speaking of the trio, Mammuccari scolded him: “You made a gaffe. They are still relevant. You know nothing about music.”
“The child is good, he is a little immature, for reasons of age”, said Mara Maionchi. The jury composed of Flavio Insinna, Francesco Facchinetti and Simona Ventura awarded him 22 points.
