The singer Ornella Vanoni died at the age of 91. The lady of Italian music had already made her plans for the final journey: “I have the dress. It's from Dior”
Ornella Vanoni in concert: Bruno Marzi / MEGA / The Mega Agency / Profimedia
Singer Ornella Vanoni, the lady of Italian popular music, died on Friday at the age of 91 at her home in Milan, Italian media and international news agencies announced. The artist died a little before 11:00 p.m. following a cardiac arrest.
Born on September 22, 1934 in Milan, Ornella Vanoni had her greatest successes in the 60s and 70s, with hits such as “La Musica è Finita”, “Eternita”, “L'Appuntamento” (“The Meeting”) and “Una Ragione di Più” (“One More Reason”), AFP notes.
A lady of great style, recognized for her curly red hair, she became, in 1999, the first singer in the history of San Remo to receive an honorary award for her entire career.
“With the passing of Ornella Vanoni, Italy loses one of its most original and refined artists. Thanks to her unique voice and her exceptional interpretive talent, she marked the history of Italian song, theater and performance,” said Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli.
“With her unique voice, she marked the history of Italian music, leaving an artistic legacy that will remain forever engraved in the hearts of all,” Lorenzo Fontana, president of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, also said.
A captivating storyteller whose songs explored themes of crime, poverty and social exclusion as well as love, loss and femininity, she has sold more than 55 million records and released around 40 studio albums.
Fashions and customs have changed in Italy, but Vanoni's intimate and enchanting voice has remained a symbol of emotional authenticity in Italian music.
Elegant and fiercely independent, she maintained her public profile through talk show appearances long after the release of her most popular albums, Reuters notes.
Of her funeral plans, she said on a television show that “the coffin has to be cheap, because I want to be cremated. Then throw me in the sea, maybe in Venice.”
“I have the dress,” she added. “It's from Dior.”
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