Farewell to Nicoletta Orsomando, queen of the 'good evening ladies'

Television was still a rare thing in Italian homes, so much so that parents went to an appliance store to watch its first ad.

It was October 1953 and television began its broadcasts with her. Nicoletta Orsomando, the most famous of the 'good evening ladies', passed away today at the age of 92, in hospital in Rome after a short illness. The funeral will be held next Monday at 10.15 a.m. in the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. She was born in Casapulla in the province of Caserta January 11, 1929. For 40 years she entered the homes of Italians every day with the grace and kindness that characterized her and that were part of a TV that no longer exists.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening” she said her first time in front of the cameras, announcing a National Geographic documentary, and that phrase has become a trademark. Her smiling expression, her perfect diction, her kind and polite ways and her familiar and reassuring look have made her loved above all others, so much so that she has become the 'Miss Good Evening' who has remained in office longer than any other.

He lived in his beautiful house in Trastevere surrounded by the daughter and three grandchildren. In the interviews she has given in recent years, she has talked about a television that grew up with her, very different from the current one, of which she misses the broadcasting of concerts, operas and above all theatrical comedies.

The theatre was in fact his first great love, but after some brief experiences he decided to enhance his beautiful voice and thanks to a diction course he passed a audition in Rai and becomes an announcer. Her father pushed and supported her to enter the world of entertainment John Orsomando, solo clarinet in the infantry band.

In 1922 Giovanni graduated in composition and instrumentation for band at the Conservatory San Pietro a Majella in Naples, and composed his first piece, a symphonic march 'Annina', dedicated to his wife, which, like many others written by him, has remained in the repertoire of important Italian bands.

With an artist in the family, Nicoletta's career couldn't remain just announcements and here it comes for her 'children's TV', the unforgettable broadcast of 'the friend of animals' with Angelo Lombardi and even a Sanremo festival Nuncio Filogamo in 1957.

Orsomando told us about this experience: “They had called two young actresses to present the festival but they realized that making films wasn't enough for that role and so they asked me, who had already had experience in singing competitions”.

Then in 1966 he leads 'A record for the summer', while in 1965 he inaugurated together with Jader Jacobelli 'La giornata parlamentaria' (later 'Oggi al parlamento'). In 1976 she was given a column in the programme 'Cani, gatti & C. e Piante, fiori'. She also took part in various shows as herself. film like 'Little Mail with Alberto Sordi and Franca Valerand for the directed by Steno and 'Relatives snakes' of Mario Monicelli. She was then a guest of 'Sunday in' and in the 2011-2012 season she participated as a judge on La prova del cuoco hosted by Antonella Clerici, supported in the same role by two other historic former Rai announcers: Mariolina Cannuli and Rosanna Vaudetti.