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The song’s appearance in the Hollywood smash introduced an entirely new generation to her smoky, velvety voice.
Offscreen, she also contributed to Italian cinema and television, bringing her expressive personality to a wide range of roles.
Fearless, Sensual, and Unapologetically Herself
In January 1977, Vanoni posed nude for the Italian edition of Playboy. It was a bold move for that era — a declaration of independence rather than scandal.
She later revealed she accepted payment in an unusual form: a bronze statuette from her artist friend Arnaldo Pomodoro. It was a decision marked not by rebellion, but by confidence in her identity.
Her private life remained as complex as her art. She married theatre producer Lucio Ardenzi in 1960, and they had a son, Cristiano.
Yet she later admitted that she married without truly being in love: “I didn’t know what to do with myself… I was lost between men I loved and men who loved me.”
Her honesty made her not only admired, but deeply relatable.
A Cultural Muse in Fashion and Art
Vanoni’s influence extended beyond music.
She was a close friend of Gianni Versace, a source of inspiration for Giorgio Armani, and admired by designers like Valentino. Her elegance — part bohemian, part aristocratic — became a signature style in Italian pop culture.
Even in her 80s, she remained a fashion icon, gracing talk shows with striking outfits, vivid red hair, and a smile full of mischief.
A Mind Sharp as Her Wit
Despite her fame, Vanoni maintained an intimate, candid personality. She spoke openly about solitude, aging, depression, and creativity. She could make people laugh with one sentence and silence a room with another.
Her English, refined during studies at Cambridge, gave her a cosmopolitan aura rare for her generation.
She once described herself in words that captured both her fragility and her fire:
“I am one of those women.
Women on fire, fragile and full of tenderness,
sheltered behind nervous outbursts, elegant detachment, and sarcasm.
Desperate and happy, alone and celebrated, furious and delicate.”Her Final Wish
Vanoni participated eight times in Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival, earning second place in 1968. She later became the only Italian woman to win the Tenco Award twice, a rare honor for songwriting.
In one of her final public interviews on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa, she revealed her last wishes — spoken with her trademark blend of humor, honesty, and elegance:
“The coffin should be cheap because I want to be cremated.
Then throw me in the sea, maybe in Venice.
I have the dress. It’s by Dior.”
It was the perfect closing note for a woman who lived with theatrical flair yet wanted to leave the world with simplicity and grace.
A Farewell to a Legend
Ornella Vanoni’s passing marks the loss of one of Italy’s most treasured voices.
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