TORONTO – The whole world is crying Raffaella Carrà, the queen of (not only) Italian television: there are titles in all languages, today,  on the web, to pay homage to the showgirl, singer, dancer, actress and TV presenter who disappeared at 78 years after a life as an absolute protagonist of the entertainment world. In addition to the Italian media, even those of half of Europe, North America and South America have in fact announced the death of the “most loved by Italians”. And the last farewell promises to be equally global.  Her partner Sergio Japino has launched an appeal to all fans of “Raffa”, in Italy, in the world, in the churches of small villages as in those of large cities, to meet at 12 noon on Friday, the day of the funeral, “to offer all together the last virtual farewell to Raffaella”.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 7 July, at 4 pm the funeral procession will start from the artist’s home, in via Nemea 21: the “walk” – this must be according to Raffaella’s wishes – will touch the symbolic places of the artist’s career, stopping in each one a minute: the Rai Auditorium of the Foro Italico (Largo Lauro de Bosis), the Rai in Via Teulada 66, the Teatro delle Vittorie, the Rai in Viale Mazzini 14, to finally arrive at the Campidoglio where, in the Protomoteca Hall, it will be set up the funeral parlor which will remain open tomorrow from 6pm to midnight and on Thursday from 8am to 12am and from 6pm to midnight. Friday, at 12am, the funeral service in the church of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli.

Countless messages of condolence from all the “big” of the show and the highest authorities of the state.

“I am deeply struck by the death of Raffaella Carrà, a popular artist, loved and appreciated by several and numerous generations of viewers in Italy and abroad. The television face par excellence has transmitted – with her skill and her sympathy – a message of elegance, kindness and optimism “, said the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. According to the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, “with her talent and professionalism she played a decisive role in spreading the culture of entertainment in Italy. Her laughter and generosity have accompanied generations of Italians and brought the name of the Italy in the world. The deepest condolences of the whole government go to friends and grandchildren “.

Pedro Sanchez, the premier of Spain, where Raffaella had become a star thanks to successful television programs, also paid tribute to the Carrà. “She was a woman – wrote Sanchez on Twitter – who inspired various generations of happiness, courage and commitment. Her music made our hearts happy, her free spirit filled our souls. Rest in peace, dear Raffaella”.

It was from the Hispanic world, mostly the Latin American one (especially Cuban), that the condolences for the disappearance of “a real communist” arrived: many Spanish-speaking fans in fact retweeted a famous interview released by Carrà to the Iberian weekly “Interview” of June 1977 and entitled “Siempre voto comunista”.

Deep emotion in the LGBTQ2 + world for which the showgirl, with her songs dedicated to free love, was a real icon: so much so that today the proposal to change the name of the Zan ddl (the law against homophobia, which is causing so much debate in Italy) in the “Carrà bill”, launched on Twitter by the screenwriter Enrico Cibelli and immediately supported by many people, including celebrities from the world of entertainment.

And even the Azzurri, just before the European Championship semi-final against Spain, wanted to pay tribute to Raffaella. The national football team of Italy has in fact decided to remember the queen of TV, in love with football and a great fan of Italy, in a special way. The Federation has asked and obtained from Uefa to insert, in the playlist used for the warm-up before the semifinal, “A far l’amore comincia tu”, one of her most loved songs and ballads. “The disappearance of an icon like Raffaella Carrà – explained the president of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina – an innovative woman and an extraordinary artist, has struck everyone. Before Italy-Spain, her match, we want to remember her with joy, listening to her music full of energy “. What better tribute for the national Raffaella?