Fabrizio De André Prize - Montenero Sabino Stage

A national prize that chooses small villages

The Fabrizio De André Prize is one of the longest-running awards dedicated to new Italian singer-songwriter music. For a few years now, the Prize has complemented its main competition with a national scouting tour titled "E ti piace lasciarti ascoltare" (And you like to let yourself be heard), supported by NUOVO IMAIE: a series of regional stages that, rather than being held in large city theaters, often take place in village squares, where music returns to being a community event. The Lazio stage of this journey chose Montenero Sabino, a village of a few hundred inhabitants perched among the olive groves of Sabina, in the province of Rieti.

How the evening works

The formula is simple and intentionally far from the mechanisms of televised talent shows. A group of selected artists—solo singer-songwriters, female artists, small ensembles—takes the stage in Piazza del Municipio to present their original songs. There are no live votes, no rankings: the stated goal is authentic listening and the promotion of originality, regardless of the genre, from classic singer-songwriter music to rap, rock, or jazz.

• Free admission, open-air square, starting in the early evening;
• Artists competing with original material (no covers);
• An artistic committee composed of musicians, authors, and industry professionals;
• Only one artist is selected to advance directly to the national semi-finals of the Prize.

The committee and artistic direction

For the Montenero Sabino stage, the artistic committee brought together well-known names from the Italian music scene. The artistic direction of the Prize is entrusted to Luisa Melis; among the commissioners for the Sabina evening were singer-songwriter Teresa De Sio, along with Teresa Mariano, Marco Graziosi—the local promoter of the stage—and Elvisa Rossetti. This detail speaks volumes about the project: emerging artists do not perform in front of an anonymous audience, but before professionals who truly listen and provide feedback.

Montenero Sabino, the stage

Montenero Sabino is a medieval village dominated by its castle, overlooking the Turano Valley and surrounded by the hills of Sabina, a land of PDO extra virgin olive oil and ancient convents. Piazza del Municipio, the heart of the village, becomes a small open-air auditorium for one evening: only a few meters separate the stage from the front rows, the windows of the houses act as a natural backdrop, and the village's intimate acoustics favor the very type of listening the Prize advocates. Local organization is supported by the Municipality and the Pro Loco of Montenero Sabino, who manage hospitality and logistics.

Why it's worth the trip

Those arriving from Rieti or Rome will find a completely free live music evening, featuring artists who, in most cases, have not yet entered national circuits: it is the best way to discover them before they become household names. Around the square, Sabina offers its full repertoire—village trattorias, new oil, villages to explore on foot at sunset—transforming the concert into a short getaway in the lesser-known, authentic Lazio region.

A tour that changes its map every year

"E ti piace lasciarti ascoltare" takes place every year between spring and summer, touching various Italian regions and culminating in the national semi-finals in September. The locations for the stages can change from one edition to the next: those who want to be sure of the Prize's presence in Montenero Sabino should check the official tour calendar before setting off.