Popular Italian singer Nilla Pizzi, “La Regina della Canzone Italiana”, died on the 12th of March at the age of 91.
In 1951 she won the first Sanremo Music Festival with the famous song “Grazie dei Fiori”, and as at the time one singer could present more than one song, she won also second prize with “La Luna si Veste d'Argento”, in a duet with Achille Togliani. “Grazie dei Fiori” sold 36 000 copies which was a record for the time.
The following year she triumphed again at the Sanremo Festival, winning first, second and third prize, with the songs “Vola colomba”, “Papaveri e Papere” e “Una Donna Prega”, a record never equaled by any other singer at the festival.
“Vola colomba” accompanied the return of Trieste to Italy and Papaveri and Papere sold 75 000 copies and was translated into forty languages taking Nilla and her voice around the world.
No doubt, Italy is going to miss the true Queen of La Canzone Italiana
