Riccardo Cocciante

The Profile

Italian singer-songwriter and composer born in Saigon, known for major hits like Margherita and Bella senz’anima, and for composing the musical Notre-Dame de Paris. He won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1991 with Se stiamo insieme.

Reviews highlight Mu (1972) as a symphonic prog concept; Concerto per Margherita (mid-70s) involved Vangelis in electronic textures; Cervo a primavera (1980) marked the Mogol partnership; Cocciante (1982) features the hit Celeste nostalgia.

Four DeBaser reviews sketch Cocciante beyond the usual ballads: Mu dives into symphonic prog and myth. Concerto per Margherita adds Vangelis’s electronics to pastoral themes. Cervo a primavera marks the Mogol era with standout melodies. Cocciante (1982) crowns the hits with Celeste nostalgia, alongside some fillers. Overall tone: respectful, curious, and mostly enthusiastic.