Milva | |
|---|---|
 Milva at a theatre presentation of La variante di Lüneburg (2009) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maria Ilva Biolcati |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | 17 July 1939 Goro, Emilia–Romagna, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 23 April 2021 (aged 81) Milan, Italy |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1958–2012 |
| Labels | |
| Website | www.MilvaLaRossa.com |
Maria Ilva Biolcati, OMRI (Italian: [maˈriːa ˈilva bjolˈkaːti]; 17 July 1939 – 23 April 2021),[1] known as Milva (Italian: [ˈmilva]), was an Italian singer, stage and film actress, and television personality. She was also known as La Rossa (Italian for "The Redhead"), due to the characteristic colour of her hair, and additionally as La Pantera di Goro ("The Panther of Goro"), which stemmed from the Italian press having nicknamed the three most popular Italian female singers of the 1960s, combining the names of animals and the singers' birthplaces. The colour also characterised her leftist political beliefs, claimed in numerous statements.[2][3] Popular in Italy and abroad, she performed on musical and theatrical stages the world over, and received popular acclaim in her native Italy, and particularly in Germany and Japan, where she often participated in musical events and televised musical programmes. She released numerous albums in France, Japan, Korea, Greece, Spain, and South America.[4]
She collaborated with European composers and musicians including Ennio Morricone in 1965, Francis Lai in 1973, Mikis Theodorakis in 1978 (Was ich denke became a best selling album in Germany), Enzo Jannacci in 1980, Vangelis in 1981 and 1986, and Franco Battiato in 1982, 1986 and 2010.
Her stage productions of Bertolt Brecht's recitals and Luciano Berio's operas toured the world's theatres. She performed at La Scala in Milan, at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, at the Paris Opera, in the Royal Albert Hall in London and at the Edinburgh Festival, amongst others.[5]
Having had success both in Italy and internationally, she remained one of the most popular Italian personalities in the fields of music and theatre. Her artistic stature was officially recognised by the Italian, German and French Republics, each of which bestowed her with the highest honours. She was the only Italian artist in contemporary times who was simultaneously: Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour of the French Republic (Paris, 11 September 2009), Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Rome, 2 June 2007), Officer of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Berlin, 2006), and Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Paris, 1995).
- ^ "Décès de la chanteuse Milva, "la panthère de Goro" – L'Alsace". www.lalsace.fr. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Milva tifa per Nichi Vendola | GayPrider". GayPrider (in Italian). 29 December 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "TV: MILVA "HO PAGATO PER AVER DETTO CIO' CHE PENSAVO"". Italpress. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Auguri a Milva che oggi compie 76 anni" [Happy Birthday to Milva Who Today Turns 76]. Onda Musicale. La Voce del Trentino (in Italian). No. Supplemento della Voce del Trentino. Editore Cierre Edizioni. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Milva – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 October 2017.