Farewell to Ornella Vanoni, the voice that enchanted Italy #OrnellaVanoni #MusicIcon #MilanPians
In our Milan, a city of unforgettable art and melodies, a legend of Italian music has passed away: Ornella Vanoni, who passed away at the age of 91 after a sudden illness in her Milanese home. With a career spanning more than seventy years, selling over 55 million records and leaving an indelible mark with albums, EPs, and compilations, Vanoni was not just a singer, but a symbol of elegance and resilience who inspired generations. Here, among the crowded streets and historic theaters of our city, her presence was palpable, and her passing makes us reflect on how music can be intertwined with local identity, an art that Milan has always cultivated as a treasure to be protected.
Her career was a true journey through genres and times, reflecting the evolution of our musical culture. Ornella possessed an unmistakable vocal timbre, a mix of sophistication and passion that took her from the folk of her origins, such as Songs of the underworld, to refined pop, passing through bossa nova with masterpieces such as the album The desire, the madness, the unconsciousness, the joy from 1976, created with Toquinho and Vinícius de Moraes. She didn't limit herself to jazz, collaborating with international giants such as George Benson, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Ron Carter, Eliane Elias, Gil Evans, Steve Gadd, Herbie Hancock, Chris Hunter, Lee Konitz, and Herbie Mann. As a Milanese born and bred, I often wonder how such a versatile figure managed to balance global innovation with local roots, bringing a touch of that industrious and creative Milan to concert halls around the world—a bridge that seems more fragile today, as our music scene struggles to keep that same tradition alive.
Her collaborations were the beating heart of a golden era, where Italian music mingled with international and national talent. Prominent songwriters such as Gino Paoli, Dario Fo, New Trolls, Paolo Conte, Fabrizio De André, Ivano Fossati, Lucio Dalla, Mogol, Franco Califano, Bruno Lauzi, Renato Zero, and Riccardo Cocciante wrote for her, transforming songs into stories that still resonate in our streets. She participated in eight editions of the Sanremo Music Festival, coming close to winning with a second place in 1968. White House, and placing fourth on three occasions: in 1967 with The music is over, in 1970 with Eternity, and in 1999 with TreesThis latest edition saw her become the first artist to receive the City of Sanremo Award for Lifetime Achievement. As a local reporter, I can't help but notice how these achievements reflect Sanremo's role as a mirror of our society, an event that unites the whole of Italy but which, for us Lombards, also represents a missed opportunity to better showcase voices like hers, rooted in the urban fabric of Milan.
Finally, Ornella Vanoni remains unique in history as the first and only woman to win two Tenco Awards as a singer-songwriter—a feat matched only by Francesco Guccini—and to collect three awards in total from the Tenco Club, including the 2022 Special Tenco Award, created especially for her. This legacy, born of a voice that has shaped the soul of Italian music, invites us to deeper reflection: in an era of rapid change, where local icons like her seem rare, we must ask ourselves if we are preserving the innovative and critical spirit that Vanoni embodied. Her passing is a loss for Milan and for Italy, a reminder to celebrate and protect our artistic traditions, because, as often happens, it is precisely in moments of mourning that we rediscover the true value of what unites us.
Changes and revisions to this article
- Article updated on 22/11/2025 at 00:43 - Article revised
- Article updated on 22/11/2025 at 00:46 - Article revised
- Article updated on 22/11/2025 at 00:48 - Typo corrected
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