When Maria Ilva ‘Milva’ Biolcati died in 2021, aged 81, she left behind more than 50 studio albums spanning six decades—and a legacy of heartfelt and theatrical performance as rich as any in the history of Italian pop. The singer was known as “La Rossa” due to her red hair as well as her left-wing politics. The latter was frequently reflected in her song choices: “Alexander Platz” is a tale of a young girl’s life in Soviet-controlled East Berlin, while “Bella ciao” is a rousing traditional song adopted by the anti-fascist moment during the Second World War.