In May 1922, an intense affair, which lasted until 1935, began between the mature “Comandante” (“Commander”), now in his late sixties, and the much younger Mèlitta.
Born in Cori, in the Lazio region of Italy, on 23 February 1903, the eighteen-year-old Letizia had married Mario de Felici, the owner of clothing shops in Rome, Salsomaggiore and Gardone Riviera. Here the couple had made their home not far from the Vittoriale. After separating from her husband in 1932, the young woman moved with little Luciano, born on 23 February 1925, first to Barbarano di Salò, where d’Annunzio rented a villa for them at his own expense, and then to San Martino di Castrozza. Mother and son later moved to Padua and then to Sutri in the Viterbo area, where Letizia died in 1992, at the age of 89. Her love affair, kept confidential for a long time, emerged shortly before her death; soon afterwards, her heirs began to destroy the evidence of her long relationship with Gabriele d’Annunzio.
Ariel and Mélitta: a complicated relationship
Having entered the world of Gabriele d’Annunzio thanks to her business relations with the ‘Ditta de Felici’, the young woman soon made herself available to travel – on behalf of the illustrious patron – to the most refined tailors’ shops and the most exclusive workshops in Milan to select merchandise that conformed to the princely taste of the “Vate” (“The Bard”).
The relationship developed, then, on both an erotic-sentimental level and a commercial one; accounts and ledgers alternated with lust and the voluptuous daring of mutual desires. The sentimental affair is evidenced in a ponderous corpus of messages: 253 from him and 484 from her, mostly letters, but also telegrams or notes. Fragments of a period that brought no contentment despite the privileges attained, but that, on the contrary, was troubled by Gabriele’s loneliness and physical ailments.
Although not chosen as his exclusive intimate companion, Letizia managed to play a prominent role, earning, together with her son Luciano, the Poet’s enduring affection. As the physicality of the relationship waned, there was no lack of expressions of friendship and affection from the Poet in his later years.
1. Letizia de Felici with a dog.
2. A silk handkerchief with the initials ‘G. d’A’ gifted to de Felici.
3. An exclusively made dress worn by de Felici during one of her meetings at the Vittoriale.