Outside five thousand people came to say their final goodbyes to Ornella Vanoni in the first three hours the funeral home was open. This is the estimate made by the management of the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. “It was a morning full of emotions. A piece of Milan gathered around Ornella Vanoni. Fans, local residents and many Italian and international artists from all over the world passed by: from TV, to theater, from music to cinema. A great tribute to a very important figure”, commented Member of the Cultural Council Tommaso Sacchi.
Many came to say their final goodbye to the artist, from Emma Marrone to Fabio Fazio, Fiorella Mannoia, Arisa, Lella Costa, stylist Antonio Marras, Simona Ventura, Alba Parietti, Mario Lavezzi, Memo Remigi, Madame, Cristiano Malgioglio, Francesco Gabbani, Gabriele Salvatores, Paolo Fresu and senator for life Liliana Segre. The funeral home will remain open until 2pm today and tomorrow from 10am to 1pm.
The note ‘Tomorrow is another day’ greeted the many people, VIPs and ordinary citizens, who arrived at the Piccolo Teatro Grassi in Milan. A simple and light wooden coffin (as requested by the singer himself, recommending not to spend too much money on it, “after all, the coffin must be burned”) was at the foot of the stage that the artist often stepped on. Beside him are two sunflower cushions, behind the banners of the Region of Lombardy and the Municipality of Milan and the Piccolo Teatro Grassi flower crown.
That The hearse carrying Ornella Vanoni’s coffin arrives at the Piccolo Teatro Grassi in Milan, accompanied by applause citizen.
From Mannoia to Fazio, the final farewell to the artist
After a few moments of reflection between the family, Miilano Mayor Giuseppe Sala and cultural council member Tommaso Sacchi, the funeral home was opened to the public. Among the first to arrive were singer Emma Marrone and presenter Fabio Fazio. Many colleagues expressed greetings to the artist: Fiorella Mannoia, Arisa, Lella Costa. Also present at the funeral home were stylists Antonio Marras and Simona Ventura.
“It was a reference for each of us, because Ornella was a symbol of freedom, irreverence. She was a cultured woman, she was a graceful woman, she was a free woman. Yes, she was a free woman and an extraordinary singer”, reminisces Fiorella Mannoiaafter leaving the funeral home. “It was our duty to come and say goodbye to him. He lived consciously until his last moments. Maybe we couldn’t have had a sweeter death”, said Mannoia, recalling “all the phone calls we had and also the funny moments because he was very ironic and he never missed a joke. Many times we sang together and many stages we shared. Many memories, but – joked the singer – I keep the funniest ones for myself”. Even their conversation in the dressing room “is something that cannot be repeated”.
“He was unique, the greatest of all”, the words of Simona Venturaaccompanied by her husband Giovanni Terzi. “We will miss her greatly, but her music is timeless. ‘Tomorrow is another day’ is the song of my life,” Ventura said, describing Vanoni as “a direct, sarcastic and ironic woman. I will miss her generosity. We talked for hours.”
“Artists should not die and in a sense they do not die because they remain with us through what they do. And fortunately Ornella has done a lot – said the singer Arisa – He knows he is a star, but he is a star among us”. Arisa spoke, moved, about her relationship with Ornella Vanoni: “We talked for a long time and she, instead of expressing her own needs, was more interested in the needs of others. He always asked me if I was in love, if everything was going well. A wonderful person, truly an example that those who want to be artists and those who just want to just be people can take inspiration from.” Although the last phone call was “a long time ago, I am very grateful for the time we spent together.”
The ties between Ornella Vanoni and the city of Milan, where she was born and has always lived, “will be forever”, said the Cultural Council Tommaso Sacchi. Vanoni’s expressed wish while still alive to have a special flower bed, “was part of the irony. With a small joke he managed to touch on an important point: he said it in jest, but he also said it because he was happy that this bond with Milan was forever and would remain”, said Sacchi.
“We spoke with the Mayor to immediately understand how to remember him, but this is not the time to say what, how and in which place he will be remembered. We will find the right formula”, explained the councilor, adding that “the beautiful thing about Ornella was his ability to touch on issues that concern the life of the city. Far from the political palace, but with deep knowledge of Milan. Maybe he would read a story in the newspaper, call me and comment with a critical and intelligent sense and never be biased”, said Sacchi.
