Dalida was a French singer and actress, born in Egypt to Italian parents. She was one of the best-selling Italian music artists, with around 140 million records sold worldwide. She performed in seven different languages and collaborated with singers such as Julio Iglesias, Charles Aznavour, Johnny Mathis and Petula Clark. However, behind her glamorous image and successful career, Dalida had a troubled and unhappy life that eventually drove her to commit suicide on 3 May 1987.
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A Difficult Childhood in Cairo
Dalida was born Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti in Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt, on 17 January 1933. Her father Pietro Gigliotti and mother Filomena Giuseppina were born in Serrastretta, Calabria in Italy. Pietro studied music in school and played violin in taverns; Giuseppina was a seamstress.
When Dalida was just seven years old, her father was taken by allied forces to the Fayed prison camp where he remained for four years. Her father returned a violent person and Dalida and her mother and brother faced the brunt of abuse. Dalida is quoted as saying, “I hated him when he beat me, I hated him especially when he beat my mom and brothers. I wanted him to die, and he did.” A year after his release, Dalida’s father died of a brain abscess.
A Whirlwind Romance with Lucien Morisse
Dalida caught the attention of Marco de Gastyne, a French film director who then cast her in his 1955 film Le Masque de Toutankhamon. After moving to Paris, she met Lucien Morisse, a married artistic director with whom the relationship became more than strictly professional. They were married in April of 1961 and the marriage lasted just a few years.
Lucien Morisse was instrumental in launching Dalida’s singing career. He signed her with the Barclay record company and helped her achieve her first success with “Bambino”. He also produced many of her songs and arranged her concerts. However, he was also possessive and jealous of Dalida’s fame and popularity. He did not support her artistic ambitions and tried to control her personal life. He also cheated on her with other women.
Dalida divorced Lucien Morisse in 1962 and moved on with other lovers. However, she remained close to him as a friend and business partner. In 1970, Lucien Morisse committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. He left a note that said “Forgive me, my little Yolanda”. Dalida was devastated by his death and blamed herself for not being able to save him.
A Series of Tragic Relationships
Dalida had many romantic relationships throughout her life, but none of them brought her lasting happiness. She suffered from several heartbreaks, betrayals and losses that left her emotionally scarred.
In 1966, she fell in love with Luigi Tenco, an Italian singer-songwriter who shared her passion for music. They planned to participate together in the Sanremo Music Festival in 1967 with the song “Ciao amore ciao”. However, their song was eliminated in the first round of the competition. Luigi Tenco was depressed and disillusioned by the failure. He shot himself in his hotel room on the night of 27 January 1967. Dalida found his body and tried to kill herself by taking pills. She survived but was hospitalized for several weeks.
In December of 1967, Dalida became pregnant by a 22-year-old student named Lucio. The affair inspired her hit song “Il venait d’avoir dix-huit ans”, which translates to “he had just turned 18”. She decided to terminate the pregnancy which led to complications due to the procedure being performed by an unqualified doctor. She became infertile as a result.
In 1972, she met Richard Chanfray, a French aristocrat who claimed to be the Count of Saint-Germain. He was a charismatic but eccentric man who claimed to have supernatural powers and alchemical secrets. He also had a history of drug abuse and mental instability. He became Dalida’s companion for nine years and appeared with her on stage and television shows. He also encouraged her to explore new musical genres such as disco and oriental music. However, he was also abusive and manipulative towards Dalida. He isolated her from her friends and family and made her dependent on him. He also cheated on her with other women and men.
Dalida broke up with Richard Chanfray in 1981 after he threatened to kill her during a violent argument. In July of 1983, he committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from his car exhaust. He was accompanied by his new girlfriend, Paulette Renou, who also died.
In 1986, Dalida had a brief relationship with François Naudy, a young doctor who was 20 years younger than her. He was kind and attentive to her, but he also had a secret drug addiction. He died of an overdose in February of 1987, leaving Dalida heartbroken once again.
A Final Farewell
Dalida had a successful and prolific career as a singer and actress. She recorded more than 700 songs in seven languages and sold more than 140 million records worldwide. She won numerous awards and honors, including the Legion of Honour, the Oscar Mondial du Succès du Disque and the World Music Award. She also starred in several films, such as The Sixth Day by Youssef Chahine, which was acclaimed by critics and audiences.
However, Dalida was also plagued by depression and loneliness. She suffered from insomnia, anxiety and mood swings. She underwent several cosmetic surgeries to maintain her youthful appearance. She also attempted suicide several times and underwent psychotherapy.
On 3 May 1987, Dalida took an overdose of sleeping pills in her apartment in Paris. She left a note that read “La vie m’est insupportable… Pardonnez-moi”, which translates to “life is unbearable for me… Forgive me”. She was found dead by her brother Orlando, who was also her manager and producer.
Dalida’s funeral was attended by thousands of fans and celebrities. She was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris, where her tomb is decorated with a statue of her holding a rose. Her fans still visit her grave and pay tribute to her legacy.
Dalida’s cause of death was officially ruled as suicide, but some of her friends and relatives believe that she did not intend to kill herself. They think that she took too many pills by mistake or that she wanted to make a dramatic gesture to attract attention. They also point out that she had several projects planned for the future, such as a new album, a concert tour and a film.
However, Dalida’s suicide note suggests that she had lost hope and faith in life. She had endured too much pain and sorrow and could not find happiness or peace. She chose to end her suffering and leave behind a world that she felt did not understand her.
