Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ornella Vanoni, Defining Voice of Italian Song, Dies at 91 in Milan

Authorities confirmed cardiac arrest as the cause, with national tributes highlighting a seven-decade career.

Overview

  • Italian officials confirmed her death and Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli announced it publicly; she died at home in Milan late Friday.
  • Her career spanned more than seventy years, with reported sales between about 50 and 65 million records and roughly fifty albums released.
  • A fixture at the Sanremo Festival, she appeared repeatedly, placed on the 1968 podium with Casa bianca, and received a 1999 lifetime honor.
  • She bridged theatre and popular music and collaborated widely, including with Gino Paoli, Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho, Herbie Hancock and George Benson.
  • She remained active recently, issuing Unica in 2021 and releasing a 2024 version of Sant’allegria with Mahmood.