VIAREGGIO. Massimo Malfatti 62-year-old from Viareggio, was among the protagonists of Friday evening’s episode of the show “The Voice Senior”, broadcast on Rai Uno in prime time and hosted by Antonella Clerici. Massimo loves three things: tennis, music and above all his wife Marlene. They are each other’s strength, for an unconditional love that has been going on for years despite the “bad weather” due to the wife’s health conditions. Malfatti works at Salt’s motorway operations center and in his free time he performs in clubs, just guitar and voice. He showed up on the show with the piece “Candy” by Paolo Nutini, thrilling the entire studio: as soon as he started “plucking” the guitar, singing the beginning of the verses in perfect English, he immediately convinced the four jurors. Loredana Bertè, Clementino, Arisa and Gigi D’Alessio immediately turned around in their seats, as per the regulations when choosing the competitor who will continue the route. They even fought over it, and in the end Massimo chose to be part of the team that will be set up, after the first qualifiers, by Gigi D’Alessio.
His presence on Rai Uno on Friday evening did not go unnoticed by the many people from Viareggio and friends who did not know of his participation because the regulation forbids spreading the news first. To avoid risking possible disqualifications, Massimo didn’t tell anyone. When he appeared on video, but above all when he performed, there was certainly acclaim even from Viareggio. Just take a look at Facebook to read the compliments, well deserved for him.
His perfect English is due to his youth experience abroad. A Nautical graduate, Malfatti spent a year on board and lived in Boston in the United States. In the summer, he worked as a seasonal worker at Salt, before being hired permanently, and in the winter he went to London where he worked for some time, learning English very well. A language that served him well for singing. Participation in “The Voice Senior” was also useful for promoting Viareggio: in the interviews launched before the performance, in fact, one was carried out in Passeggiata. «It was a great experience», says Massimo, «and I am happy that my performance was appreciated, both by the judges and by the studio audience. When I saw that the selections were open, I sent the request to participate. And after taking part in some auditions, I was called. Now I hope to stay there as long as possible.”
Malfatti has a passion for football and as a young man he played for Pisa, up to the Primavera category. With his friends he still plays five-a-side football with the Pandorino team, and was in the Uisp with the Palazzetto team. He was also a coach in the youth sector of Vigor Misericordia. In that period – as he confessed to Antonella Clerici, before singing – he met his wife Marlene (who accompanied him to Milan for the broadcast, together with Gianni Francesconi, Massimo’s lifelong friend). «Marlene was the referee of the match in which the team I coached played», is the story, «and after the second match that she refereed I asked her if she wanted to go out with me. Since then the journey together began. Before performing, she advised me to be myself: she encourages me a lot and I’m really happy that she did well.” L
