Italian singer and actress Milva is dead

She also achieved great fame in Germany: the Italian singer and actress Milva has died. She was 81 years old. 24.04.2021, 10.37 am In Italy she was known as "La Rossa", the red one, because of her red hair: At the age of 81, the actress, pop and chanson singer Milva has died. This was reported by Italian media with reference to Milva's daughter Martina Corgnati, with whom the artist lived in Milan. Milva, whose real name is Maria Ilva Biolcati, was born in Goro in northern Italy, which is why she was also called "Pantera di Goro", the panther of Goro. The artist, who also spoke German, was known in Germany for songs like "Hurra, wir leben noch". Most recently, she had lived in the centre of Milan with her confidante and secretary Edith. Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini paid tribute to Milva as "one of the most intense interpreters of Italian song", according to Italian media: "Her voice has awakened deep emotions in whole generations. A great Italian, an artist who, starting from her beloved country, has crossed international stages, making her success global and upholding the name of her country." Maria Ilva Biolcati was born in Goro on the Adriatic coast on 17 July 1939, the daughter of a dressmaker and a fisherman. She had to pitch in early and earn money for the family when her father lost his property. She moved to Bologna, took part in a singing competition and received singing and acting training. The young woman then recorded dozens of albums, sang on tours and on theatre stages. She performed almost 20 times at Italy's most important pop festival in Sanremo - but she never won. She made the leap from pop star to recognised interpreter of Bertolt Brecht. At Milan's Piccolo Teatro, under the direction of Giorgio Strehler, she was the pirate Jenny in the "Threepenny Opera". In 2010 she left the stage. In an open letter posted on Facebook, she announced the end of her career. In a television interview that same year, she had spoken of health problems that prevented her from continuing to perform.