The legendary Italian singer Ornella Vanoni passed away this Saturday at her home in Milan at the age of 91. She forged an extraordinary artistic career spanning nearly seventy years and became an icon for her unique voice, irreverent personality, and ability to transcend musical genres. Vanoni was considered an unreachable figure of Italian culture, remaining active until her final days. Her romance was immortalized in one of the most beautiful songs in Italian music, "Senza fine". Her versatility led to her internationalization; she recorded the iconic album "La voglia la pazzia l'incoscienza e l'allegria" with the Brazilians Vinicius De Moraes and Toquinho, popularizing Bossa Nova in Italy. In the 80s, she recorded in New York with jazz musicians of the caliber of Gil Evans and Herbie Hancock. Vanoni was also the first woman to win the prestigious Tenco Award as "best singer-songwriter". Her career began at the Piccolo Theatre in Milan, where she became the partner and muse of director Giorgio Strehler.
