Arrigo Vecchioni was a poet, a writer, and a dreamer. He was also the son of one of the most renowned and beloved Italian artists, Roberto Vecchioni. Arrigo passed away on April 18, 2023, at the age of 36, after a long and unspecified illness. His death left a deep wound in the hearts of his family, friends, and fans, who remember him as a brilliant and sensitive soul.
A Passion for Words
Arrigo inherited from his father a passion for words and a talent for expressing them. He was the third of Roberto’s four children, and the first born from his second marriage with Daria Colombo, a writer herself. Arrigo showed an early interest in literature and poetry, and published his first collection of poems, “Il paradiso dei Geni” (The Paradise of Geniuses), in 2015. The book features rhymed portraits of various personalities, from historical figures to fictional characters, who share a common trait of genius and creativity.
Arrigo was also a playwright and a comic artist. He wrote a comedy of the absurd in three acts, titled “Il paese di Notte dì” (The Country of Night Day), set between dream and reality. He collaborated with the illustrator and cartoonist Alessandro Ambrosoni to create a series of comic strips set in Africa, called “Beach Boys”. He also participated in several cultural events and festivals, where he read some of his writings and shared his views on art and life.
A Bond with His Father
Arrigo had a strong bond with his father, who often dedicated songs and words to his children. Roberto Vecchioni, who will turn 80 on June 25, is one of the most acclaimed and influential Italian singers and songwriters, as well as a former teacher of literature. He has won several awards, including the prestigious Tenco Prize and the Sanremo Music Festival. He has also written books, essays, and memoirs, in which he reflects on his personal and artistic journey.
Roberto has always spoken with love and pride of his children, who have followed different paths and professions. Francesca, his eldest daughter from his first marriage with Irene Brozzi, is an architect. Carolina, his second daughter from his second marriage, is a journalist. Edoardo, his youngest son, also a journalist, suffers from multiple sclerosis, a condition that inspired Roberto to write the song “Le rose blu” (The Blue Roses).
Arrigo was the only one of Roberto’s children who pursued a career in the literary field, and the two shared a mutual admiration and inspiration. In 2016, Roberto released a compilation album, titled “Canzoni per i figli” (Songs for the Children), which contains some of the songs he wrote for his offspring, such as “Canzone da lontano” (Song from Afar), a lullaby for Francesca, “Figlio figlio figlio” (Son Son Son), a tribute to Arrigo, and “Un lungo addio” (A Long Goodbye), a farewell to Carolina.
A Memory to Cherish
Arrigo’s death has shocked and saddened the Italian cultural scene and the public, who have expressed their condolences and solidarity to Roberto and his family. Many artists, friends, and colleagues have paid tribute to Arrigo, remembering him as a talented and gentle person, who had a lot to offer to the world.
Arrigo’s legacy lives on in his poems, his writings, and his dreams, which he shared with his father and with his readers. He was a poet and a dreamer, who left too soon, but who will always be remembered. As Roberto wrote on his social media, announcing his son’s death: “After so much, so much pain, our wonderful Arrigo is finally at peace. The family asks for silence”.