After Romina Power's statements on the "Belve" show, Al Bano's reaction also came, a reaction that was not at all calm.
Invited to "Domenica In", the Italian singer spoke through tears about the disappearance of their daughter, Ylenia Carrisi, and how that tragedy destroyed not only the family, but also the 25-year relationship between him and Romina.
"Don't kill me, I don't deserve it. I've been a great support and a pillar in our family," he said directly to his ex-wife, his voice shaking during the interview.
He was referring to the words of the singer who, as a guest on "Belve", said that at the most difficult moment of her life she no longer felt the support she thought she had around her.
"When you think you have a pillar of support nearby and suddenly the moment comes when you lean on it and there is nothing, no support, then things change."
She also added that she continues to believe that Ylenia is still alive, but for Al Bano, hope has long since ended.
"I accepted the truth. The pain never goes away, but I don't live with illusions. Ylenia lives in our hearts," he said.
The singer also recalled the period after their daughter's disappearance in New Orleans, in January 1994, when Ylenia was only 23 years old.
"I wandered around New Orleans at night looking for our daughter. I saw terrible places, people with guns, drugs, everything. But where were you? How can you say you didn't have support?" he asked Romina during the interview.
According to Al Bano, he did not give up on seeking to continue his life or career, as has been implied over the years.
"We left together. After a month there was nothing left to do. It was a tragic reality that had to be accepted."
In one of the most emotional moments of the interview, he also recalled the last concert he held with Romina Power in July 1994 at San Siro.
“It was July 4, 1994, at San Siro. We had to respect that contract. That evening, I said to her: ‘You, Romina, have decided that you will not see all this again. I will not give up, I will continue to live, I will even wait if necessary.’ I realized that there was nothing more to do. Human beings must react, even in times of tragedy.”
However, it seems that tragedy marked the end of everything between them, not just artistically. In the end, Al Bano also reacted to other statements that Romina has made about him over the years, including an interview on Spanish television where she claimed that he had raped her.
"Why would you punish me like this? I know what I have given to our family and I am sorry that they do not accept it. I have accepted everything they have done and said against me. Even the children have defended me regarding these statements."
Al Bano and Romina Power were one of the most iconic couples of Italian music in the 70s and 80s, not only on stage but also in their personal lives. They married in 1970 and had four children.
Their relationship changed radically after the mysterious disappearance of their eldest daughter, Ylenia Carrisi, in 1994. The event shocked the family and became an open wound that deeply affected their relationship. Over the years, the differences in how they experienced the loss and how they spoke publicly about it became increasingly apparent, and the couple finally separated in the late 1990s.
The disappearance of Ylenia Carrisi remains one of the most well-known mysteries of Italian showbiz. She disappeared in January 1994 in New Orleans.
According to reports at the time, the 23-year-old was traveling alone through Central America and then arrived in New Orleans, where she was last seen. What made the case even more mysterious was the testimony of a security guard, who claimed to have seen a girl who resembled Ylenia jump into the river saying: "I belong to the water."
However, her body was never found and it was never officially proven that it was hers.
Al Bano has for years said that he believes his daughter is dead, Romina has never accepted this version and continues to believe that Ylenia is still alive. In 2014, Ylenia was declared legally dead, at the request of her father.
