Carla Fracci, who not only loved dance but also Beppe Menegatti

The first meeting it was in the “Trieste” rehearsal room at La Scala. It was 1955. «I was the last in a line of people entering. In the lead Luchino Visconti, then the choreographer Massine, then the composer Mannino and the costume designer Lila De Nobili and then me carrying Visconti’s bag. Lila turns and says: “Luchino, couldn’t this be the girl for Silvestra’s part?” And he points to a girl sitting on the ground with red socks. It was CarlaHe said some time ago Beppe Menegatti, records theatrical and love of life’s Carla Fracci, passed away today at 84 years of age after a long illness, lived in total secrecy.

Menegatti, now 91 years old, was Luchino Visconti’s assistant director at the time, then he also collaborated with Eduardo De Filippo and Vittorio De Sica. Carla Fracci, in an interview a few years ago defined him as «a genius who elaborates, elaborates and makes interesting proposals». He has been, over time, the director of many plays she interpreted. They married in 1964. In 1969, the birth of their first and only child: “The birth of our son Francesco sealed our union”, he continued, while she – in hindsight – would have wanted more children: “My husband no”, explained the most famous Italian dancer in the world in an episode of very true of a year ago, «So as not to do wrong to what I had to leave at home. This was a mistake, I was very sorry ». To make her proud, he repeated it to everyone, the two grandchildren: Giovanni and Ariele, born from the bond of Francesco, now an architect and teacher, with his colleague Dina Mencini: “I have not resigned myself to being a grandmother, I’m really happy to be».

They spent the lockdown together, with her intent on “doing exercises at the barre, to keep these tonic legs for a while ». Their secret? “The first time he looked at me hard and the intensity of that gaze never faded… Here we are after over sixty years ».