A Tribute to a Great Milanese Artist
Yesterday, Milan lost one of its most elegant and unmistakable voices: Ornella Vanoni.
Her passing leaves a silence that feels unusual in a city where her presence — discreet, stylish, effortlessly Milanese — had become part of the everyday landscape.
For us at Il Centro, the news felt particularly close. Vanoni lived only a few steps from our school, and over the years we often met her in the neighborhood: a gentle nod, a quick smile, that subtle kind of recognition typical of true Milanese elegance.
This article is meant as a tribute — a way to say goodbye to a great Milanese artist, and to celebrate her legacy through one of her most beloved songs, Rossetto e cioccolato.
Ornella Vanoni and the Soul of Milan
(Photo Credit: agenziafotogramma.it)
Milan is known for its fast rhythm, its business energy, its modern façade. But there is also another Milan: intimate, poetic, slightly melancholic, full of quiet sensuality.
Few artists embody this deeper essence of the city as perfectly as Ornella Vanoni.
Her smoky voice, her refined irony, her theatrical background, her unmistakable style — everything about her speaks of a Milan that is cultured yet understated, sophisticated yet warm.
For Italian learners discovering the cultural side of Milan, Vanoni represents a key chapter of the city’s artistic identity.
“Rossetto e cioccolato”: The Sweet Recipe of Desire
Rossetto e cioccolato is one of Vanoni’s most iconic songs — playful, sensual, warm, and deeply feminine.
It mixes culinary images with emotional metaphors, turning simple ingredients into a recipe for intimacy:
- “Ci vuol passione, molta pazienza” — You need passion, a lot of patience
- “Si cuoce a fuoco lento” — Cook it over a low flame
- “Mescolando con sentimento” — Stirring with feeling
Flour, chocolate, raspberry syrup, black stockings, white milk…
Everything becomes part of a slow, sweet alchemy.
The song teaches that love, just like cooking, requires time, care, and the courage to let go.
Meaning Explained: “Lasciarsi vivere totalmente”
One of the most beautiful lines in the song is:
“Sarà bello, bellissimo, travolgente
lasciarsi vivere totalmente.”
For Italian learners, this expression is a treasure.
What does it mean?
- To let life in without resistance
- To stop controlling everything and simply feel
- To open yourself completely to pleasure, sweetness, emotion
- To allow spontaneity to guide you
It is not laziness.
It is not passivity.
In Vanoni’s poetic world — and in Italian culture —
“lasciarsi vivere” means embracing life with freedom and vulnerability, without fear.
“Totally” (totalmente) amplifies the message:
living fully, with no brakes.
Listen to the Song
Full Lyrics: Rossetto e cioccolato
Ci vuol passione Molta pazienza Sciroppo di lampone E un filo di incoscienza Ci vuol farina Del proprio sacco Sensualità latina E un minimo distacco Si fa così Rossetto e cioccolato Che non mangiarli sarebbe un peccato Si fa così Si cuoce a fuoco lento Mescolando con sentimento Le calze nere Il latte bianco E già si può vedere Che piano sta montando È quasi fatta-ah Zucchero a velo La gola è soddisfatta E nella stanza il cielo Si fa così Per cominciare il gioco E ci si mastica poco a poco Si fa così È tutto apparecchiato Per il cuore e per il palato Sarà bello, bellissimo, travolgente Lasciarsi vivere totalmente Dolce, dolcissimo e sconveniente Coi bei peccati succede sempre Ci vuol fortuna Perché funzioni I brividi alla schiena E gli ingredienti buoni È quasi fatta-ah Zucchero a velo La gola è soddisfatta E nella stanza il cielo Si fa così Per cominciare il gioco E ci si mastica poco a poco Si fa così È tutto apparecchiato Per il cuore e per il palato Sarà bello, bellissimo, travolgente Lasciarsi vivere totalmente Dolce, dolcissimo e sconveniente Coi bei peccati succede sempre Coi bei peccati succede sempre
Grammar Focus: CI and NE
Small, powerful, essential: ci and ne are two of the most important mini-pronouns in Italian. This song is a perfect opportunity to work with them, especially because it includes the construction “ci si”.
CI
Used for:
- a place: Vado a Roma → Ci vado
- an idea: Credi in questa storia? → Ci credo
- verbs with a + infinitive: Penso a partire → Ci penso
- impersonal forms: “ci si + verb”
In the song:
“E ci si mastica poco a poco”
Here ci si = an impersonal “one/you/we.”
NE
Used for:
- quantities: Hai libri? Ne ho tre
- parts of a whole: Vuoi dello zucchero? Ne voglio un po’
- origins or topics: Parlo di arte → Ne parlo spesso
Interactive Exercise – CI / NE
Learn Italian Through Music at Il Centro
Exploring a song like Rossetto e cioccolato is more than a listening activity: it is a way to enter the emotional and cultural world of Italy. Music helps students feel the language, understand its rhythm, and experience its imagery — exactly what made Ornella Vanoni so unique. At Il Centro – Scuola di Lingua e Cultura Italiana, we often use Italian songs, films, and cultural materials in our lessons to make the learning experience richer, more authentic, and more enjoyable. Our courses in Milan — from beginner to advanced — are designed to connect students not only with grammar and vocabulary, but with the real voice of Italian culture.If you would like to deepen your Italian through music, literature, or everyday conversation, we invite you to join one of our courses here in Milan or online.
Learning Italian is always more meaningful when it is connected to the stories, voices,
and artists who have shaped this country — and Vanoni is one of them.
❤️ This article is our small tribute to a great Milanese artist, and a warm invitation to discover the Italian language through the beauty of its music.