Raffaella Carrà: applause and tears but also songs and joy, this is how Italy greets her

Tears, emotion, prolonged applause but also joy and smiles. So Italy today gave its last farewell to Raffaella Carrà, with a ceremony at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Campidoglio that commemorated the Romagna artist in all the most significant aspects of his personality. Few flowers, few trappings, as she herself had requested, in a simple ritual but full of emotions and memories. In addition to the family and closest collaborators, many well-known faces from the world of politics and entertainment present at the ceremony: among others the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini, the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, the former Minister of Economy and candidate the mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, the CEO of Rai Fabrizio Salini, the director of Rai1 Stefano Coletta. There are also many colleagues of the great showgirl, including Milly Carlucci, Michele Cucuzza, Serena Autieri, Massimo Lopez, Alessandro Greco, Carmen Russo and Enzo Paolo Turchi, just to name a few. A “great charisma”, combined with his “profound humanity” , its being “inclusive”: in a word, “unforgettable”. This is the portrait of Raffaella that emerged from the function. The mayor Virginia Raggi defines it as “unforgettable”, highlighting its link with Rome, underlining that the city “will never forget it”. “Raffaella, go in peace and enjoy a well-deserved rest in the fiesta del cielo”, observed one of the Capuchin friars of San Giovanni Rotondo, thus concluding the homily of the artist’s funeral rite. “I believe Raffaella leaves us this teaching, this example – added the friar – the awareness that with her artistic talent she could give a lot to each person, and that each person is precious and deserving of attention and human respect”. At the exit of Raffaella Carrà’s coffin, after a very long applause, the public wanted to greet the Romagna artist by singing some of Raffaella’s greatest hits. In Piazza del Campidoglio the notes of some of the best known songs have spread, from ‘Ballo ballo’ to ‘Fiesta’ to ‘Tuca Tuca. Fans greeted their darling in an atmosphere of emotion but also of joy.