The most popular musical couple of the 20th century

They were one of the most popular musical tandems in Europe, and business success was accompanied by love and great family happiness. And then a tragedy destroyed everythin

When he met Romina, a young actress and the beautiful daughter of Hollywood actor Tyrone Power, on the set of the film "Nel sole" in 1967, Al Bano Carizi was already a popular artist throughout his native Italy. He had several notable songs and roles in well-known Italian cinema productions.

Already at the very beginning of his career, Karizi became one of the most desirable men in his homeland. Despite his modest origins, it was not difficult for him to seduce a brunette eight years younger from a well-to-do American family.

Thus began one of the greatest musical romances of the last century...

Partners both in life and on stage

It is interesting that at the time of meeting Al, Romina was already engaged to the famous French painter Baltus. However, the meeting with the young Italian was fatal. Three years after meeting, the couple got married.

Parallel to their love, the musical career of one of the most popular tandems of the 20th century flourished. The dizzying rise began with the single "Storia di due innamorati", which immediately topped the charts of radio and TV stations throughout Italy.

In 1976, Al Bano and Romina Power represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "We'll Live It All Again", taking seventh place.

They had much more success at the prestigious Sanremo, where in 1982 they took second place with the song "Felicità". This track became a global hit, the number of copies sold reached an incredible 6 million, and it is still popular today.

In the same year, Al Bano and Romina Power released the album "Che angelo sei", with the wonderful track "Tu, soltanto tu", which will definitely make them famous throughout Europe. Already in 1984, they conquered Sanremo with the song "Ci sarà", and this was followed by another participation in the Eurovision Song Contest with the same placement as the previous time.

A tragedy of unfathomable proportions

Professional success was accompanied by family idyll. Al Bano and Romina had four children - three daughters and one son. And everything seemed like a fairy tale... until it stopped being so.

A family tragedy that happened in America in 1994 contributed to the inglorious end. Their eldest daughter, Ilenija Marija, disappeared during a study trip. She was last seen in New Orleans at the beginning of that year.

Months of intensive search followed, which, despite the enormous efforts of the police, authorities, parents, relatives and friends, did not yield any results.

There were indications that Ilenia committed suicide by jumping into the Mississippi River, but her body was never found. Some sources claimed that she was a victim of serial killer Kit Jesperson. However, DNA findings rejected this suspicion.

For years, Romina did not come to terms with her daughter's death, saying that she felt that Ilenia was alive. However, at the request of Al Ban Karizi, Ilenija Marija Karizi was declared "most likely dead" in 2013, which is the legal wording for cases when there is no progress in the investigation or evidence of missing persons for a long period of time.

It was a tragedy that destroyed the family and after which Al and Romina could not continue. In 1999, the most famous couple on the European music scene definitely broke up.

The years that followed the divorce, Romina Power spent in America, returning to Europe from time to time. In public appearances, she even accused her husband of violent behavior. These allegations were often denied by their children, justifying them as the result of great suffering for the missing Ilenia.

The year 2013 brought an unexpected twist. Al Bano and Romina first smoothed over their relationship, and then revived their careers. Even today, from time to time, they perform together around the world, to the delight of their families and hundreds of thousands of fans of their creativity.