Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard, where we set
out to remember and celebrate the lives of those who lived to entertain us, by visiting
their final resting places. Today we conclude our tour of cemeteries around Italy, where
we’ll find such stars as Pavarotti, Michelangelo, Ferrari, Valentina Cortese, and many more.
Join us, won’t you? In our previous video we kicked off our tour
of famous graves around Italy. We started in Sicily and made our way half way up the
peninsula to Rome. Today we continue our journey northward, through Tuscany and finishing up
in Milan. This is the last leg of our 4-part tombstone tourism travels throughout Europe
this summer, so if you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out our tours of Switzerland,
Paris, and Italy part 1. We kick off our tour today in Firenze, or
Florence as we know it in English. Florence was a hub of medieval trade and finance, and
is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, which was the artistic, scientific, cultural,
and ideologic transition from the darkness of the Middle Ages, to the enlightened modern
age. Renaissance means re-birth, referring to the re-birth of classical Greek philosophy.
That period, which spanned the 15th and 16th centuries, brought advances in art and architecture,
renewed interest in scientific study and intellectualism, an ideological shift to humanism, and gave
us the printing press, leading to wide-spread access to information. Summing up the Renaissance
ideals, that humans are limitless in their capacity for development, Leon Alberti said,
“a man,” and I would add a woman, “can do all things if he,” or she, “will.”
To find our first Florentine cemetery we head to one of the highest points in the city,
and reach the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte. Surrounding this 11th century basilica is
a cemetery, Cimitero delle Porte Sante. We’ve found several cemeteries with spectacular
views in our time here in Europe, but it would be hard to top this one… a view of beautiful
Florence off in the distance, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore rising like a flower
in the heart of the city. We find our first famous grave here out front
of the basilica. This is tomb of Franco Zeffirelli. He was a director and producer, known particularly
for his work in historical dramas, and operas. He’s perhaps best remembered today for directing
the 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best director.
He was also nominated for his art direction in La Traviata. Other films he’s known for
include Taming of the Shrew, and Hamlet. He was also known for producing operas on stage,
including Tosca for the Royal Opera House. Zeffirelli lived to be 96.
Still in front of the basilica, but across the stairway, is the grave of Mario Cecchi
Gori. He was a noted producer of films here in Italy. Perhaps his best-known is Il Postino,
The Postman, which earned him an Oscar nomination. Other notable films include 1991’s Mediterraneo.
Mario lived to be 73. Let’s head now to the older part of the
cemetery, around the back of the basilica. This is the Lorenzini family tomb, where Carlo
Collodi is laid to rest. Collodi, whose real name was Carlo Lorenzini, was a writer who
created one of the most beloved and enduring icons of children’s literature: Pinocchio.
He began his career writing as a journalist and political writer, but in the 1850s, shifted
his focus to writing fairy tales. The Adventures of Pinocchio, the story of a mischievous marionette
come to life, was originally published as a serial in 1881, then in 1883 released as
a single book. Since then, The Adventures of Pinocchio has become one of the most widely
read and translated Italian book in history. And Pinocchio himself has become one of the
great icons of Italian culture. His story has been adapted countless times on stage
and screen, by Disney in 1940, “They’ve got strings, but you can see,
there are no strings on me!” and by Roberto Benigni… twice. Carlo Collodi
died in 1890 at age 63. Let’s cross over the Arno river into the
city of Florence. This is the Chiesa di Ognissanti, built in 1250, then rebuilt in the 1600s. Just right of the nave we find our first grave here. If you fancy yourself an American, you
have this man to thank for your namesake. Here lies Amerigo Vespucci. He was an Italian
explorer who, in the late 1400s, early 1500s participated in a number of voyages to the
new world, and subsequently published booklets with colorful descriptions of his explorations.
Cartographers would later honor Vespucci by applying the latinized form of his name, “America,”
to new maps, and thus the name was affixed to the new world. Amerigo Vespucci died in
1512 at age 60. Also here in Ognissanti is Amerigo’s cousin-in-law,
Simonetta Vespucci. She was a 15th century model, famed as the most beautiful woman of
her age in Italy… the Florentine Cleopatra. She served as a model for many of the great
painters of the age, perhaps most notably, Sandro Botticelli. Simonetta is believed to
be the model of Venus in Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Simonetta was just 22 when she died
from tuberculosis. Her body was placed in an open coffin and carried through the city
for mourners to admire and pay their respects before she was laid to rest here in the church
with other family members. There is no marker for her, so her exact location in the church
is a subject of some dispute. Taking a right at the transept we find the
final resting place of one of the many artists who captured the beauty of Simonetta, Sandro
Botticelli. He was a painter of the Early Renaissance. His best-known work, alluded
to earlier, is one of the most recognized paintings in the world, The Birth of Venus,
painted in the 1480s. It depicts the goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth,
emerging fully grown. Another of Botticelli’s famous works is Primavera, also one of the
most recognized paintings in Western art. Both of these paintings are in the Uffizi
Gallery here in Florence, and both featured Simonetta Vespucci, with whom he had fallen
in love. Botticelli also has a painting right here in Ognissanti, Saint Augustine in his
Study. He lived to be 65, and upon his death, according to legend, requested to be laid
to rest at the feet of his beloved Simonetta, who rests nearby. Northeast is the Basilica di San Lorenzo, one of the oldest churches in Florence. Beneath
the church is an underground chamber, where we find the final resting place of Donatello.
He was of the most famous sculptors of the renaissance era, who studied classical sculpture
to develop his own style. His most famous work is a bronze statue of David, created
in the 1440s. Donatello’s David is the figure used in the David di Donatello Awards, Italy’s
equivalent of the Oscar. Another of his famous sculptures is of Saint George, a replica of
which can be found in the Great Mausoleum in Glendale. Donatello’s work can be found
in cathedrals and museums throughout Italy. He died in 1466 at age 80. And you fans of
the ninja turtles know him as the namesake of this guy.
Nearby is the iconic centerpiece of Florence, the Florentine Flower, the Cathedral of Santa
Maria del Fiore. Work began on the duomo in 1296 and was completed by 1436. It’s notable
for the magnificent dome, a marvel of Renaissance engineering and architecture. It remains the
largest masonry dome in the world. It was created by Filippo Brunelleschi, a man considered
a founding father of Renaissance architecture. He was laid to rest in the crypt below the
Cathedral of Florence, but unfortunately we couldn’t visit as the crypt was closed due
to covid. Heading back toward the southeast we find
the Basilica di Santa Croce. There are more famous graves in this cathedral than anywhere
else in Florence, a veritable who’s who of Italian history… not just artists, but
scientists, philosophers, and other notable figures. Because of the sheer number of notables,
this cathedral is sometimes known as the Temple of Italian Glories. It was built around 1300,
the largest Franciscan church in the world, and features artwork from greats, including
Donatello. If you make your way around the nave, you’ll
find one famous grave after the next. We’ll begin here with a man who helped us understand
our place amongst the planets and the stars, Galileo. Galileo! Yes, that Galileo. He’s
often called the father of astronomy, and the father of modern science. He made contributions
to observational astronomy, the scientific method, and the science of motion. For the
latter he dropped objects of different masses from the leaning tower of Pisa to demonstrate
that falling bodies have uniform acceleration, regardless of mass. His monument here is something
of a snapshot of his greatest work. The statue on the left is Astronomy, holding a parchment
inscribed with sun spots, which Galileo observed. And on the right is Geometry, holding a plank
and incline, demonstrating the equation for falling bodies. And Galileo himself gazes
up at the stars, while clutching a telescope and a celestial globe. Just beneath Galileo
is a depiction of Jupiter and its four moons. Galileo’s 1610 observation through his telescope
of moons orbiting around Jupiter upset the prevailing notion that all celestial bodies
must orbit around the earth. Galileo championed the model of Copernican heliocentrism, which
states that the Earth revolves around the sun. And while we know this to be true today,
it went against the prevailing belief at the time, championed by the church, that the Earth
was the center of the universe, and all celestial bodies orbited the Earth. Galileo’s assertions
that the Earth went around the sun led to an Inquisition by the Roman Catholic church.
He was found guilty of heresy, and sentenced to house arrest for the remainder of his life.
After his death in 1642 at age 77, he was denied burial in a place of honor, having
been deemed a heretic by the church. A century later his remains were moved here, and this
monument befitting one of history’s greatest scientists was finally erected.
Crossing to the other side we find the grand tomb of one of history’s greatest artists,
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, simply known as Michelangelo. Along with Leonardo
da Vinci, Michelangelo was the quintessential Renaissance Man, also known as a polymath,
which simply means he was really really good at a lot of different things. He was a triple-threat,
as the term applied in the Renaissance: a master painter, sculptor, and architect. Among
his most famous paintings is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, completed in 1512. And
among his most famous sculptures are Moses, the Pieta, and the David. We’ve seen replicas
of Michelangelo’s David in various Forest Lawn memorial parks in California. Well, now
we finally get to visit the real thing, located here in Florence. Made of marble and standing
some 17-feet tall, it is one of the great masterpieces of Renaissance art, completed
in 1504. Michelangelo was also one of the key architects of St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome. The great Michelangelo died in 1564 at the age of 88. And of course you know,
he’s where this pizza-loving guy got his name. Next to Michelangelo we find a monument to Dante Alighieri, considered the patriarch
of Italian poetry and literature. In the early 14th century he wrote the long-form narrative
poem, The Divine Comedy. It is considered not only one of the most important works of
Italian literature, but one of the most important of the Middle Ages. It depicted a vision of
the afterlife through a medieval world-view. Unlike most literary works of the day, his
Divine Comedy was written in the commonly spoken language, rather than Latin, making
it accessible to the masses, not just the most educated. This helped establish the modern
standardized Italian language. Dante died in 1321 at the age of 56, and was laid to
rest in Ravenna. This tomb was built for Dante in the early 1800s. However, his body remains
in Ravenna, so this is a cenotaph. Continuing along the aisle we reach the tomb
of Vittorio Alfieri, another of Italy’s storied poets and dramatists. He’s considered
the father of Italian tragedy. He wrote numerous tragedies, sonnets, and satires throughout
his career. Among the most successful of these is his theatrical tragedy in five acts, Saul,
written in 1782. Alfieri died in 1803 at age 54. Next along this row of illustrious Italians is Renaissance writer, political philosopher,
and historian, Niccolo Machiavelli. His best-known work is the political treatise, The Prince,
published in 1532. It was written as something of an instruction guide for new princes or
royals, stripping out the idea of ethics and morals in political rule, and making the case
that the ends justify the means. It didn’t matter how evil or immoral the means, if the
ends were glory and survival. His name itself has since come to be a political term: “Machiavellian”
meaning to act with political deceit and unscrupulousness. There was much more to Machiavelli’s philosophy
than just this, however, and his writings would influence figure political figures from
Francis Bacon to John Adams. Machiavelli died in 1527 at age 58.
Here now we reach the tomb of Gioachino Rossini, a dominant force in Italian music in the 1800s,
known particularly for his operas. He wrote 39 operas throughout his career, some remaining
among the most popular in history. His best-known work is the comedic opera, The Barber of Seville,
first performed in 1816 in Rome. Nowadays, anyone attempting to imitate an opera singer
will likely break into the familiar refrain of “Figaro.” Other of Rossini’s well-known
works include “The William Tell Overture,” and “The Thieving Magpie.” Rossini’s work was even a
favorite of Bugs Bunny. Gioacino Rossini died in Paris in 1868 at age 76 and
was originally laid to rest at Pere Lachaise, until 1887 when his remains were moved here. “The tombs of great men do spur the great souls to noble deeds.” So wrote Ugo Foscolo.
He was an Italian poet, best remembered for his 1807 work, Dei Sepolcri, Of Sepulchers.
In the same spirit of Hollywood Graveyard, Ugo Foscolo celebrated tombs as important
symbols of the past, and believed that humans aspire to transcend death. He also believed
that tombs and monuments for fallen heroes may inspire those living today, including
artists and poets. And long after the marble monuments are destroyed by time, those memorialized
can survive in artworks they have inspired, and can in turn inspire virtue in new generations.
Does he look like me? Maybe I was an Italian poet in a former life. Ugo Foscolo died in
1827 at age 49. He was originally buried in London, then 44 years later moved here to
Florence. In addition to the many graves here, there
are also memorial plaques to illustrious Italians who are buried elsewhere. Let’s quickly
take a look at a few of them: Guglielmo Marconi – he’s the man who invented
the radio. In the 1880s he developed the first device to send and receive wireless communications.
And in 1909 he shared the Nobel Prize with Karl Braun for their contributions to the
development of wireless telegraphy. Marconi is buried in Rome.
Leonardo Da Vinci. He’s a man who needs no introduction. Along with Michelangelo,
he was one of the quintessential Renaissance men. He was a painter, sculptor, and inventor,
known as one of the brightest minds in human history. His magnum opus, The Mona Lisa, painted
in the early 16th century, is one of the most recognized and valuable paintings in the world,
and his Last Supper was re-created in stained glass form in the Great Mausoleum. He was
also a student of functional human anatomy, and as an inventor conceptualized early flying
machines. And Leonardo now caps off our coverage of ninja turtle namesakes, though Leonardo
da Vinci is buried in France, so hopefully someday we’ll get to his actual grave. This
memorial plaque was placed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of his death.
Enrico Fermi was a scientist, the father of the nuclear age, so named because he created
the world’s first nuclear reactor. He was awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize for his work
in physics. Fermi was from Rome, but buried in Illinois.
Our time in Florence has come to an end. We move on now to the east coast of Italy. This
is Rimini Cemetery. Here we find the unique monument to filmmaker Federico Fellini, the
monument designed to resemble a ship’s prow. Fellini is another of the great filmmakers
to come out of Italy, having received 12 Oscar nominations throughout his illustrious career.
He co-wrote two of Rossellini’s films, Rome Open City, and Paisan, and would be nominated
for best writing and best director Oscars for three of his own films: La Dolce Vita,
8 ½, and Amacord. Fellini died in 1993 from a heart attack at age 73.
Fellini rests here with his wife, actress Giulietta Masina. She appeared in a number
of her husband’s films, her performance in 1957s Nights of Cabiria earning her widespread
critical acclaim. She can also be seen in La Strada alongside Anthony Quinn. Giulietta
died less than 5 months after her husband from cancer. At her funeral a trumpeter played
Nino Rota’s theme from La Strada. Our next Italian city is Modena, known for
producing fast cars, balsamic vinegar, and one of history’s greatest singers. This
is Cimitero di Montale, just outside of Modena, where we find the tomb of Luciano Pavarotti,
perhaps one of the most sublime tenor voices of all time. He rose to prominence in the
60s singing in operas throughout Europe. In the 90s and 2000s he was part of a trio known
as The Three Tenors. Their popularity and crossover appeal into popular music helped
new audiences gain appreciation for bel canto, making Pavarotti among the best known and
best loved singers in the world. If you want to hear one of the most powerful vocal performances
of all time, listen to Pavarotti sing “Nessun Dorma." And here he is singing my favorite
traditional Italian song, “Torna a Surriento.” Pavarotti also starred in the 1982 film, Yes,
Giorgio. Luciano Pavarotti’s final public performance was of “Nessun Dorma” at the
2006 Olympics. He died from pancreatic cancer in 2007 at the age of 71. Grazie, Luciano,
per la musica. We spoke of fast cars before, which brings
us to Cimitero di San Cataldo here in Modena. We only had one stop here, which was a shame
because this was an amazingly scenic cemetery. Then again, every cemetery here in Italy had
such unique beauty, we could have spent a full day in each… if only we’d had time. But back to the fast cars… here we find the tomb of Enzo Ferrari. If you like fast
and expensive sports cars, you know the name Ferrari, a name now synonymous with luxury
automobiles and race cars. Enzo began his career as a race car driver, before building
his own racing team, Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari the car manufacturer was founded in 1939,
and in 1940 they produced their very first car. Decades later one of the cars Ferrari
produced would be named the Enzo Ferrari, in honor of their founder, who died in 1988
at the age of 90. Outside his tomb is a Latin inscription which means “To better things
beyond life.” Northwest of Modena is Parma, which gave the
world Parmesan cheese. No, not that sawdust, the real thing, Parmigiano-Reggiano. This
is Cimitero della Villetta. In these grounds we find the tomb of Nicolo Paganini, the virtuosic
violin player who sold his soul to the devil, or so it was thought. How else could he have
achieved such mythical talent if not through some association with the devil? And the fact
that he dressed all in black, and had gaunt, elongated features and long hair, only added
to his diabolical mystique. But the simple fact was, he was a truly gifted musician.
Not only in performing, but composing as well. His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are among
his best-known work. In 1840 Paganini fell ill. He refused last rights and sacrament,
and died a week later at age 57 in France. Having died without last rights, and his frequent
association with the devil, the church denied his body a Catholic burial, and would not
allow him to return to Genova where he was from. His remains were kept in a basement
for 4 years before being allowed to return to Italy. But even then, Paganini would find
no permanent rest, until 1896 when he was finally laid to rest here in this cemetery
in Parma. Continuing up the boot we reach the city of
Cremona. Violin motifs around town tell of the proud history of this city… one of the
birthplaces of the modern violin. Luthiers from Cremona would reach the summit of stringed
instrument manufacture, beginning in the 16th century. Here, oddly situated in a public
park, where once stood the church of San Domenico, is the grave of a name synonymous with violins,
Antonio Stradivari. Ask any concert violinist what the most coveted instruments are, and
they will likely tell you, the Stradivarius. Even Jack Benny famously played a Stradivarius
violin. Antonio Stradivari was a luthier, a craftsman of stringed instruments such as
violins, violas, and cellos in the late 17th, early 18th centuries. He produced some 1100
instruments, of which only about half survive today. They are renowned for the quality of
their sound, and the mystery of his methods have given the instruments a sort of mythical
aura ever since. Stradivari’s instruments have been played by everyone from Paganini
to Yo-Yo Ma, and can command prices in the millions. Antonio lived to the ripe old age
of 93. The last city we’ll reach during our time
here in Italy is Milan, not far from the border with Switzerland, bringing us full circle
from where our Europe tour began three videos ago. Milan is one of the world’s fashion
hubs, and home to one of the largest, most spectacular gothic cathedrals in all the world.
The Duomo is a must-see when visiting Milan. We’ll begin our exploration of famous graves
in Milan at the Cimitero Monumentale di Milano, the Monumental Cemetery of Milan. And monumental
is right… we were not prepared for the sheer majesty and grandeur of this place. It was
unbelievable, a contender for my favorite cemetery we visited during in Europe. Oh,
who am I kidding, they were all my favorite. The Cimitero Monumentale was like an outdoor
Louvre for the dead, with massive monuments and ornate sculptures on nearly every grave.
The Italian love of art on full display. Let’s find some famous graves here, but
before we do, some food for thought from the dead here in Milan. “Death is stronger than
life, but love is stronger than death.” Let’s begin at the most conspicuous monument
here. Just in from the gate is the Famedio, the hall of fame. Lining the walls are plaques
to illustrious Italian notables, most of which are cenotaphs. But there are also a number
of graves here. This is the crypt of Salvatore Quasimodo, one of the foremost Italian poets
of the 20th century. In 1959 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, for his lyrical poetry,
which with classical fire expresses the tragic experience of life in our own times. Quasimodo
died from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 66. The centerpiece here in the Famedio is the
tomb of Alessandro Manzoni, considered the preeminent Italian literary figure of the
19th century. He’s known for poems like “The Fifth of May,” dedicated to Napoleon’s
death, tragedies like “Adelchi,” and his best-known work, a novel titled I Promessi
Sposi, The Betrothed in English. The Betrothed is ranked among the great masterpieces of
world literature, and has been adapted on film and television a number of times. And
among other things, it was a milestone in the development of the modern, unified Italian
language. Manzoni died in 1873 at age 88. The lower level of the Famedio is a crypt,
bathed in warm tungsten light. Those herein are also considered part of the hall of fame,
like Alda Merini, another of Italy’s famed poets. Some of her most dramatic poems concern
her time in a mental institution, like her 1986 poem, “The Other Truth. Diary of a
Misfit,” which is considered her masterpiece. Alda lived to be 78.
Below Alda is Milla Sannoner. She was an actress, voted Miss Cinema in the early 60s, when she
began appearing in Italian films, like The Last Charge, and The Changing of the Guard.
She would also become a popular figure in Italian television. Milla lived to be 64.
Below Milla we find Il Signor G, Giorgio Gaber. As an actor he’s perhaps best remembered
for his role as Domenico in the 1991 film Rossini! Rossini! He was also a musician and
songwriter, among the first Italian rock musicians, and later in his career he developed a recital
style called teatro canzone, “theater song.” Giorgio died from cancer at age 63. Deeper into the crypt we go, to find the final resting place of Dario Fo, an acclaimed playwright,
actor, jester, and painter. He was particularly known for his work writing satirical comedies,
like Can’t Pay! Won’t Pay! and Mister Buffo, which the Vatican once denounced as
the most blasphemous show on television. Several of his plays were adapted on screen, and he
even wrote for film, like 1957’s It Happened in Rome. In 1997 he was awarded the Nobel
Prize in Literature. Dario Fo died from respiratory failures at age 90.
Dario was married to and often collaborated with Franca Rame, resting here below. She
too was a noted actress and playwright. She often starred in the plays written by her
husband. In the 70s she began writing and starring in plays of her own, like Tutta casa,
letto e chiesa. On screen she can be seen in films like Love in 4 Dimensions. Franca
Rame lived to be 83. In the next column are a few more stars, like
Magda Olivero. She was an operatic soprano whose career spanned some seven decades, beginning
in the 1930s. She ranks among the great sopranos of the 20th century, remembered for performances
in operas like Tosca, La Traviata, and Madame Butterfly. Although she mostly retired in
the 1980s, she continued to occasionally perform and record well into her nineties. Magda lived
to be 104. Enzo Jannacci rests below Magda. He was one
of the key figures in Italian popular music beginning in the 50s. With Giorgio Gaber,
Jannacci was a pioneer of Italian Rock and Roll. In addition to the numerous albums he
released, Jannacci also wrote music for a handful of films, like Black Journal. And
as if he wasn’t busy enough writing and performing music, he had a day job as a cardiologist.
Jannacci died of cancer at age 77. Moving on down we find Giorgio Gaslini. As
noted on his crypt he was a musician and composer. His career began performing as a jazz musician,
touring and performing with his own quartet as well as legends like Max Roach. He then
began writing music for big band and even film scores, like La Notte. Gaslini lived
to be 84. Crossing over to the opposite wall we find
Amilcare Ponchielli. He was a composer, best known for his opera, La Gioconda, which debuted
in 1876. The ballet from that work, “The Dance of the Hours,” has become one of those
classical pieces most people know, but don’t know what it’s from. Many people know it
today from Disney’s Fantasia, as well as the musical origins of “Hello Muddah Hello
Fadduh.” Ponchielli died of pneumonia at age 51. Time to head back out to daylight,
and the grounds of the cemetery. I would be a poor host if I didn’t take a moment to show you more of the wonderful scenery here at the Monumental Cemetery of
Milan – the antithesis of the Southern California memorial park. This grand mausoleum is the Civico Mausoleo Palanti, another communal mausoleum built
for illustrious citizens. Among those resting therein is Walter Chiari, real name Walter
Annichiarico. He was an actor of stage and screen, known principally for comedic roles.
He appeared alongside Eva Gardner in The Little Hut, and Orson Welles in Chimes at Midnight.
After being somewhat blacklisted for cocaine possession, he shifted his focus to performing
on stage. Walter died of a heart attack at age 67.
You’ll be curious to know that also resting here in the Palanti Mausoleum is Albert Einstein’s
father, Hermann. From the central pathway in the cemetery we
take a right to find the De Angeli mausoleum, where Valentina Cortese is entombed. The beloved
actress’s career began in Italy the 40s. She would soon find international stardom
in films like The Barefoot Contessa, and 1973’s Day for Night, which earned her an Oscar nomination
for best supporting actress. Valentina Cortese passed away
n 2019 at the age of 96. A short ways east we find this tomb, the eternal home of Arturo Toscanini. He was a musician,
best known for his work as a conductor. After serving as music director here in Milan, he
would gain world-wide acclaim conducting the New York Philharmonic, and subsequently the
NBC Symphony Orchestra from 1937 to 1954. NBC’s radio and television broadcasts would
make him a household name. He also conducted the premiers of many operas, including Pagliacci.
Toscanini died after suffering a stroke at age 89.
Entombed with Toscanini is another famed musician, one who frequently performed with Toscanini,
Vladimir Horozitz. He is considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, known for
his virtuosic technique and tone. Like Toscanini, Vladimir Horowitz would become a household
name for his performances in concert halls throughout the world, and for early recordings.
Ronald Reagan would award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1986. He continued to
perform right up until the end, passing away in 1989 at the age of 86. Vladimir Horowitz
married Toscanini’s daughter, and they all rest here together in the Toscanini mausoleum. We now head up to the terrazzo level, giving us a nice overview of the cemetery. Here we
find the queen of the curtain raisers, Wanda Osiris. She was an actress and singer, known
principally as a soubrette in Italian revues on stage. She was one of the major divas in
this genre between the 30s and 50s. Her skills translated to screen as well, like in the
1950 film, I’m in the Revue. Her epitaph, “Sentimental,” refers to one of the pieces
she was known to perform. Wanda lived to be 89. Further along this terrazzo we find the crypt of Gino Bramieri. He was a comedic actor,
known principally for his work in television, like the sitcom Nonno Felice, but also performed
on radio, stage, and in films like Nerone 71, as Nero. The king of jokes, as he was
known, died from cancer at age 67. Hard to say goodbye to this magnificent cemetery,
but time, tide, and cemetery closure times wait for no man, so onward and upward my friends.
Here we are now at Cimitero Maggiore, in the northwest area of Milan. It was founded in
1895. Our first stop here is in field 10, to find an actress named Luisa Ferida. She
was popular in the 30s and 40s, including starring in the first Italian film shown in
the US after WWII, Fedora, which co-starred her lover, actor Osvaldo Valenti. Osvaldo
and Luisa often performed together on film, including in Sleeping Beauty. They rest side-by-side
here, after meeting a tragic end. Because of their links to fascism, they were added
to the Partisan’s hit list, and ordered to be executed by the communists without a
trial. In 1945 they were dragged into the streets and shot. Luisa, pregnant at the time,
was 31, Osvaldo 39. Years later Luisa would be exonerated… another victim of a brutal
war. Their story was dramatized in the 2008 film, Wild Blood.
Our next stop takes us all the way to the northwestern-most part of the cemetery, an
area that hasn’t been developed yet, so there were no other graves around but the
one we seek, making this area more resemble a park than a cemetery. This lone grave here
is the original resting place of Eva Peron, also known as Evita. She began her career
as an actress, but is best remembered as the first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her
death, with husband, President Juan Peron. Eva would become a hero of working-class Argentinians,
an advocate of labor rights and women’s suffrage. But her life and promising work
were cut short after dying from cancer in 1952 at just 33. Eva Peron’s life would
be dramatized in the musical, Evita. But the odyssey of Evita’s body after her death
is almost as intriguing as her life itself. Shortly after her death Eva’s body was embalmed
and perfectly preserved. Her body was on display to the public for years while a memorial was
being built. But before the memorial could be completed, Juan Peron was overthrown by
a military coup, and was forced to flee the country, before he was able to secure the
body of his beloved Evita. The new dictatorship of Argentina banned Peronism, and removed
Evita’s body from display. The whereabouts of her body after that remained a mystery
for 16 years. In 1971 it was discovered that Evita had been buried here in Milan under
the name Maria Maggi. Her remains were exhumed and returned to Juan, who lived then in Spain.
Juan kept and maintained her corpse right there in his home for years. Juan Peron eventually
returned to Argentina as President, and Eva’s body soon followed. Juan suddenly died shortly
thereafter, and once again Evita’s preserved, and recently restored, body was placed on
display next to her husband. But civil unrest would once again derail plans for a grand
monument. Eva Peron was finally laid to rest in a fortified tomb at Recoleta Cemetery in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, some 24 years after her death. Our final stop here in bella Italia takes us back into the heart of the city of Milan,
to a building known as Casa di Riposo per Musicisti, the rest home for musicians, also
known as Casa Verdi. This is where Giuseppe Verdi was laid to rest. Verdi was one of the
giants of the Italian music scene in the 19th century, known particularly for his operas.
Among his most famous operas are Aida, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata. Having dedicated
his life to secular music, it came as something of a surprise when Verdi decided to write
a requiem mass in1874. He was inspired to do so after the death of Alessandro Manzoni,
who we visited earlier. If you think Mozart’s requiem is badass, check out Verdi’s. Verdi’s music has been used
in countless film and television soundtracks over the years, making
his music familiar even to those who never listen to opera. He died in 1901 at the age
of 87. In his final years he used his wealth to endow this rest home for retired musicians.
Verdi was originally entombed at the Cimitero Monumentale, but a month later, moved here
to the building that bears his name. And that concludes our tour. What are some
of your favorite memories of the stars we visited today? Share them in the comments
below, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe for more famous grave tours.
Thanks for watching, we’ll see you on the next one! Giuseppe and I made a new friend in our tour
of Italy. He told us his favorite YouTube channel is Hollywood Graveyard. Curiously,
though, his nose was much smaller before he told us that.
