An Iconic Voice of Italian Music

Antonello Vendittian emblematic figure of Italian Music, is today with Mara Venier to tell his story. His voice has crossed generations with the strength of his songs and the depth of his lyrics. With a unique style that combines melody and poetry, he knew how to tell the story of Italy and conquer the hearts of his audience.

Domenica In, today's guests (November 17) by Mara Venier: from Achille Lauro to Antonello Venditti

We retrace his career, full of unforgettable successes, and his private life.

Biography, Age and Height

Antonello Venditti, whose real name is Antonio Venditti (Rome, March 8, 1949), is an Italian singer-songwriter, and is approximately 1.74 m tall.

Achille Lauro to Domenica In: age, height, how much he earns and rumors about his new affair (with the sister of an Italian singer)

Considered among the most important songwriters of the “Roman school”, he debuted in the recording world in 1972, and with nearly 40 million copies, he is one of the Italian artists who sold the most records.

Songs

Her repertoire is mainly composed of songs of love and social commitment.

Personal life and where he lives

Venditti, according to what is known, resides in Rome, particularly in the Trastevere district, but is also very attached to Monte Argentario, where he has a residence.

A great supporter of Roma, his Grazie Roma compositions are well known, performed at the Cirque Maxime on the occasion of the yellow and red team's championship victory in 1983 and 2001.

As for his private life, from 1975 to 1978 he was married to Simona Izzo with whom he had a son, Francesco Saverio, now an actor and voice actor, who gave him four grandchildren (including voice actors Alice and Tomaso Venditti). It has also been linked to Monica Leoffredi.

Legal proceedings

On January 15, 1974, Antonello Venditti performed at the Theater of the Satyrs in Rome, where he presented the piece A Cristo. The performance earned him a complaint for insulting the state religion, filed by a state police marshal present in the audience. As he recounts in his book L'importante è che tu sia infelice, the offending phrase was “ammàzzate Gesù Crì quanto sei fico”. In Roman dialect, the term “fico” has a positive connotation, equivalent to a compliment, but the court does not recognize this linguistic nuance. The result was a trial which ended with a suspended sentence of six months in prison.

Monica Leofreddi: “He cheated on me”

Guest of Serena Bortone on “Oggi è un altro giorno”, ex-partner Monica Leofreddi recounted her relationship with Antonello Venditti. A story where he cheated on her. Infidelities would be the reason for the end of their relationship.

The controversies surrounding the disabled fan affair

A media storm hit the singer for the events that occurred on August 25 during a Venditti concert in Barletta. There, a young disabled girl, in the front row, who expresses her emotions through spontaneous sounds, had attracted the attention of the songwriter during the performance who, not having understood the situation, reacted with words that many considered it inappropriate.

The affair prompted the artist to clarify and publicly apologize in a live video on Facebook, where he defined the misunderstanding as an “unnecessary matter.”

Venditti and insults to disabled women. Cinzia's father: “Apologies accepted, but he could have apologized from the stage”

The girl's parents, after a confrontation with Venditti, said that the explanation had been calm and that the singer had been respectful and affectionate.

The story of childhood. “I was very fat”

Venditti arrives at Domenica In to tell his story at Mara Venier and present the video in which he tells the story of his life. From childhood, marked by difficulties linked to one's image. “I was very fat, Tiziano Ferro’s life seems to me like mine.”

Even his parents didn't make things easy: there was no shortage of piquant irony at home either. “I suffered harassment. A child doesn't understand irony, they said things to me that were funny to them. My father made me look at a kitchen door. Maybe I was alone. This helped me to have very strong shoulders.”

Then the memory of De Gregori and the first songs.

“Francesco De Gregori was my brother. Roma Capoccia I remember when I wrote it. I always write songs in front of a wall, to break it down. Even if my parents wanted me to do something else”

He also has four grandchildren and a son with whom he has “a real relationship”. But despite this, he does not yet feel satisfied. “I should be happy and fulfilled but I’m half happy.”

Depression

Venditti battled depression. “Lucio Dalla saved me – he tells Mara Venier -. In 1970 he realized my condition, he understood that I had to leave Rome. There, he treated me, but the malicious idea of ​​ending it didn't cross my mind, I wanted to kill myself with the car. Do you know how it happened to me? With the love received. I healed at Cirque Maxime when Roma won the championship. I had the exact feeling that there was no dissonance with the others. Those who strive for perfection are more fragile. Lucio understood this and took me back to Rome.”