Mario Lanza: An Overview -- a radio programme by Henry Fogel

[Derek McGovern]

Shortly after the first Lanza CD, Mario Lanza: The Legendary Tenor, was released in 1987, a surprisingly positive review by Henry Fogel of this so-so compilation appeared in the classical music journal Fanfare. (You can read the review at our main site here; it's on the last row.) Among other things, Fogel holds the title of distinguished professor of the arts at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and is President & CEO of the American Symphony Orchestra League, so it's safe to say he's a good judge of musical talent :)

While Fogel often qualifies his praise -- criticizing Lanza's supposed "complete lack of discipline" and (unfairly, in my opinion) refusing to compare him with "real opera singers" -- he acknowledges "the magnificence of Lanza's natural instrument . . . and the naturalness of his musical instincts in matters of phrasing and generalized dramatic impulse." (Fogel has singled out Mario's "rapt and poetic" opening on his 1950 version of "Cielo e Mar.") He has also described himself as "a big fan of Lanza's singing": "I listen to his records often, [and] I have included them on radio programs I've produced about fine singing."

Happily, we'll soon have an opportunity to hear one of those programs, as I see that his entire radio show, Collectors' Corner with Henry Fogel, on Sunday, 31 July will be dedicated to Lanza:

http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=1,1,41,4

The radio station is Chicago's 98.7WFMT, and we'll be able to listen live. It should be fascinating, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the programme includes an extract from the Dio Ti Giocondi duet with Albanese -- a recording that Foley has stated he adores. Maybe we'll even get the Otello Monologue! It's also interesting that Lanza is the only vocalist featured on Fogel's next twelve programmes. Now that says something! I'm impressed with Fogel's mission statement:

"The series will present a wide range of recordings that I feel are true classics of the industry. Recordings to be included will feature either unusual repertoire that I feel deserves a wider public, or performances unique in their interpretive profile, sense of commitment, and intensity."

 

I'll remind everyone closer to the time; meanwhile you might enjoy this old discussion from the Google forum rec.musical.opera, which, along with a fair amount of drivel, features some interesting to-and-forths between Fogel and other contributors.

Cheers

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

P.S. I've just realized that Henry Fogel's programme will be two hours long: ample time to play some of Lanza's best recordings! The station itself seems top-notch. All very promising!

[Derek McGovern]

I've been in touch this week with Henry Fogel; very nice fellow. Without wishing to reveal his playlist, I can happily report that some of the selections he's chosen are among my favourite Lanza recordings.

He made a very interesting comment about the response he had from listeners when he played the Otello duet with Albanese (and the Monologue) on Chicago's 98.7WFMT last spring. The recording was only one of numerous selections that he played during a marathon 7am-6pm session (drawn entirely from his extensive record collection), and yet it garnered the highest number of comments. Many of these were along the lines of, "I had no idea Lanza was that good a singer." It was actually the positive response he received that inspired him to put this programme together.   

[Tony Partington]

I look very forward to hearing Mr. Fogel's program.  And indeed, isn't it a positive and, I think, hopeful sign when classical radio listeners respond so positively to Lanza's  voice and his recordings. 

 

Some years ago when I was producing the program "Singer's Spotlight" for NPR (WETS-FM) I received the same sort of reaction.  I was especialy pleased when, during our fund raising periods when the show was live and the pledge lines would be quite I would play a recording by Mario and virtually every time the pledges started up again.  And I don't mean a little trickle but rather a good steady stream.  Again, the magic of Mario!

 

Ciao ~ Tony

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Tony: I was just trying to imagine how I'd react if I'd never heard Lanza before and turned on the radio to hear something like the 1950 Improvviso. I think I'd be simply blown away by the combination of the beauty of the man's voice, his feeling for the words -- the sheer excitement of this electrifying talent. After all, we're talking about a fantasy voice. Little wonder that your (and Henry Fogel's) listeners reacted the way they did!

Cheers
Derek

[Vincent Di Placido]

This is very exciting! Really looking forward to this broadcast, this
could be very good!

[Derek McGovern]

Just a reminder about Henry Fogel's two-hour programme on Lanza, which will be broadcast live at 8pm (CT) on July 31st on Chicago's highly regarded classical music station, 98.7WFMT. That's August 1st at 2am (ouch!) for our UK members, 3am (aargh!) for the European Continent, 9am in the Philippines, 11am in Melbourne, Australia, and 10am here in Korea. (You may want to double-check my calculations at http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/.) 

I've had a couple of members asking if the programme can be downloaded. The answer is that I don't think so. Only a handful of programmes are available in 98.7WFMT's online "featured audio" archive, from what I can tell, and Henry Fogel's show isn't currently among them. But the programme can certainly be heard live from wherever you are in the world by clicking here:   

http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=1,1,41,4   

I'm confident that Prof. Fogel's commentary will live up to his aim of "helping to establish Lanza as someone to be taken more seriously than he often is." To support that goal, he's chosen 21 recordings, more than half of which are live performances. While those hoping for Coke Show ditties may be disappointed, I think it's safe to say that the selections include something for almost everyone. (A good dozen of them are among my favourite Lanza recordings, so I'm pretty chuffed.) 

Enjoy!           

[Anita]

Wow!  What an excellent programme consisting mainly of arias from operas.  If you were listening to this programme and  hearing Mario Lanza for the first time and knew nothing about him you would surely be surprised to hear that he had been a "movie star" and not an "opera star".
I like the fact that Mr. Fogel did not spend the time talking about ML;  he let the voice speak for itself.  Words that came to my mind as I listened were: soaring, effortless, beautiful, convincing, sweet, perfect control, seemed to flow from him, magical ! 

[Derek McGovern]

Well done, Henry Fogel!

I feel the programme certainly lived up to its title of being an honest "overview" of Mario Lanza's recorded legacy (as opposed to being a "Best of..." tribute). While I would have preferred less Albert Hall -- especially the badly sung Marechiare -- and different versions of some of the arias (e.g. Nessun Dorma, La Donna e' Mobile, Vesti la Giubba), the programme featured many wonderful examples of Lanza's art, including two versions of the Improvviso (1947 and 1950), two of the highlights from the Caruso Favorites album (L'Alba Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra & Ideale), the Otello Act III duet and Monologue, and the 1947 Hollywood Bowl concert. 

In short, there were more than enough examples of Mario in top form to make up for the lesser performances. (Ironically, the compressed sound -- which is typical of radio broadcasts -- actually lessened the impact of some of the Albert Hall roughness -- for example, the ugly belted ending to Marechiare.) I can't think of a single radio programme on Lanza that's featured so many great complete recordings. It was also an excellent idea to include four splendidly sung duets -- Dio Ti Giocondi, Parigi o Cara, Vogliatemi Bene, and O Soave Fanciulla -- as these emphasized Lanza's ability to interact musically with top-notch singing partners.

Yes, it would have been nice to have ended the programme with something superior to the 1955 Nessun Dorma -- the splendid "Passione," for example -- but I loved the fact that the first half finished with the reflective Ideale, thereby showing yet another side to Lanza (especially after the flamboyance of the five Albert Hall selections). 

I also liked the fact that the programme covered a 12-year period (1947-1959), and included great recordings from both ends of Lanza's career. 

Henry Fogel's commentary wasn't entirely error-free -- e.g. the six arias from 1950 featured in the second half of the programme weren't from the soundtrack of The Great Caruso, nor did Lanza appear at Tanglewood in 1952 -- but, much more importantly, I felt he did a great job in dispelling many of the myths about Lanza. Among other things, he praised Mario's "natural sense of verismo style" in the Chenier arias, rubbished the notion that his voice had deteriorated by the end, and described the Otello duet and monologue as making "a very strong case" for what Lanza could have achieved on the stage. At the outset, he also described Lanza as "a great tenor." About the only comment I didn't agree with was his assertion that Lanza lacked the discipline to learn and sing operatic roles. (Lanza did learn roles -- seven of them, in fact, -- and in my view it was insecurity, rather than a lack of self-discipline, that ultimately held him back after 1948.)  

I'll be most interested to find out what sort of feedback Prof. Fogel receives from his listeners! Largely positive, I'd say. And, with any luck, we'll get a second "Overview" before too much longer :)      

[Armando]

If Mr. Fogel’s intention was to showcase Mario Lanza’s magnificent voice, musicality, interpretative gifts and versatility, by exposing them to an audience that might not have been aware of them, then he fulfilled his task admirably.

Yes, there were better alternatives to some of the numbers played and there were a few minor errors plus a major one concerning Lanza’s supposed inability to learn operatic roles.

But with almost two hours consisting mainly of superb singing everything else pales into insignificance.

I’m not ashamed to say that listening to ‘Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio,’ I was moved to tears by the beauty of the voice combined with the poetic delivery and Lanza’s total identification with the part. And I marvelled anew at how immensely talented this man was.

 

[Derek McGovern]

Caro Armando: Your own post almost brought tears to my eyes! (Now I feel a little mean-spirited for having picked on the poor old RCA Come un Bel Di' di Maggio elsewhere on this forum today!!)

One thing I forgot to mention earlier: I loved what Henry Fogel had to say about Lanza's ability to bring music to life. Too often, we take for granted the man's wonderful musicality (and his equally impressive diction), so it's good to be reminded of those qualities that would no doubt have bowled over many of the listeners hearing Lanza for the first time on this programme.

Cheers
Derek

[Muriel]

 

I am pleased to say that I was able to listen to Henry Fogel’s program. It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a cooperative computer, that I felt I was on a desert island with no ability to share my thoughts and love of the Lanza music. Here are my two cents’ worth.

 

Charging out of the gate with the Otello duet and monologue, followed by the two Chenier arias, was a genius move on Mr. Fogel’s part. It showed me that he “gets it”!! These are some of the most important recordings in the Lanza catalogue. If one wasn’t hooked at that point then no hope can be had for the musical soul. Mario’s involvement, heart and soul, are evident at the start. I was spellbound from that moment on. I confess I had not listened at length to Mario’s CDs for many months, for reasons I cannot share, and to hear such saturation of beauty in his serious operatic works made my heart sing along with him. There were no silly insertions as in Pineapple Pickers, or even the soothing crooning songs that I love to write about sometimes. This was what Mario studied for and had set his heart on from his early days. He WAS going to sing on the opera stage…..

 

 I loved Mr. Fogel’s reinforcement of the often discussed innate musicality we all know he possessed. What did he say? Lanza’s “innate sense of phrasing…knowing how music should go”?  This cannot be emphasized too much in our quest to make sure he is recognized as a serious musical force. He didn’t go into Mario’s musical training (except for a mention of Tanglewood), which might have been a nice touch, but I’ll take his allowing Mario to speak (sing) for himself as all the proof anyone needs to sit up and take notice of his gift.

 

Perhaps there was a bit too much from the RAH, but I suppose he wanted to show that there was little deterioration in Mario’s voice even with some health problems beginning to gather ground. He was able to sing in recital, and, ohhh, that wonderful boyish sounding speaking voice! He could melt any heart with that alone.

 

Including the first Hollywood Bowl pieces was important, as well as the two Caruso Favs. I agree with Derek that the purely inspiring Passione would have made an excellent punctuation to the whole evening, but on the other hand, placing the Ideale there might have had a significant effect as well. Imagine Mario going off into the sunset with his quietly longing, “Torna, torna, torna…” Oh my.

 

When I listened to the arias from The Great Caruso, I realized this was not from the movie soundtrack, but from the LP that RCA released to promote the film. The selections are in the exact same order as on the LP, with the omission of only E Lucevan le Stelle and Una Furtiva Lagrima. Not a problem, as we get to hear whole arias and not parts as in the film.

 

I guess I had expected more commentary from Mr. Fogel, but it worked for me as I tire of hearing people giving incorrect information when the music is all we need to know. How disappointing for those who only want to hear the popular part of his repertoire. Let’s hope Mr. Fogel is not finished with topic of Lanza. There’s more material to explore.

 

Good listening and good feelings….

 

Muriel 

[gary from NS]

Hi Muriel,

Just checked into the forum and lo and behold,here you are,with a wonderful post.Oh, how I wish I could have heard the broadcast,but I was working.
Hopefully I will hear the next broadcast. It is indeed a pleasure to read your post here today,and to see the positive words by you and others on the airing of this show.

My very best to you (and a HUG)
Cheers
Gary

[Thelma]

It was wonderful hearing a program of Mario Lanza singing opera arias
and reminded me of the times I used to listen to him and marvel when I
was young. This program went out all over the world too, a wonderful
achievement for our Mario Lanza, thanks to Mr. Fogel. I hope more
people now have had the opportunity to learn about him and admire his
singing!

[Joseph Fagan]

Welcome back Muriel, we have all missed you!.....Joe

[Armando]

Wonderful to see you back, Muriel!

[Armando]

No problem, Derek. I agree entirely regarding  "Sia! Strofe, ultima Dea!" But in my opinion the 1950 version has a better line, the voice is better placed and the delivery more controlled.  Although the 1952 recording is one of the better CC performances I can still hear some of the flaws that were very much a part of these radio programs.

[Derek McGovern]

My dear Muriella: What a wonderful surprise to read your post today! It's the Muriella of yore too. I'm so glad you now have a functioning computer!

I've been in touch with Henry Fogel since the programme aired, and I'm confident that he's not through with the topic of Lanza yet :) In fact, there are rare recordings on our main site that he would love to have included if only he'd known about them in time. If he does produce a follow-up show, I'd be very surprised if the Otello Death Scene isn't included, along with some of the live 1948-49 material (Toronto and Hollywood Bowl), and perhaps even one of the 1952 home rehearsals. 

What else would I love to hear on a second show? Well, for starters: Di Rigori Armato; the 1955 Amor Ti Vieta; M'Appari'; Che Gelida Manina; the 1958 Vesti; the 1949 Mamma Mia, Che Vo' Sape; the Cosi' Fan Tutte trio; the MGM All the Things You Are; the 1955 O Paradiso; and, of course, Passione.    

Why no Student Prince? you might ask. It's possible, I suppose, but one of the goals of Henry Fogel's show is to play recordings that his listeners might otherwise have been unaware of -- and, let's face it, Mario's Student Prince album is pretty well known. Still, I'd love to hear the Serenade or Beloved...

Just a thought, Muriella: I hope you're aware of our new forum format. (Google Groups updated its features earlier this year). The old version is still running, but it's an eyesore compared with our new, much-improved forum, which allows us to post photos, use bold, italics, and change the colors -- basically the whole HTML shebang. Right now, for example, there are two of your favourite Mario/Sarita photos on our home page, so you certainly chose the right day to rejoin us!!

Here's the (currently) rather cumbersome url for our new forum:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/mariolanza

And welcome back!!!!

Derek

[Lou]

Welcome back, Muriel! You have been sorely missed.

[Lou]

Hi Derek: It was just my tough luck that I had to be out on an unpostponable errand when Mr Fogel's program was broadcast. I particularly regret having missed the four duets, which, to my ears, are among the most thrilling selections in the Lanza canon but which, it seems to me, receive less attention than his solos. I take it the Vogliatemi Bene was the version with Frances Yeend?

 

From your post and Muriel's I get the impression that the program did not include any of Lanza's songs in English. If so, I think their absence was all to the good as they would have distracted from the image of Lanza as an opera singer. (The inclusion of Tosti's and other Neapolitan songs is okay as opera tenors sing them so often it's easy to forget they're not arias.)

 

Cheers,

Lou

 

 

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lou

Actually, there were three songs in English -- all from the Albert Hall recital, as well as four Tosti songs. Here's the complete programme:

 1/   Dio Ti Giocondi (with Licia Albanese)
 2/   Otello Monologue
 3/   Improvviso (RCA, 1950)
 4/   Come un Bel Di' di Maggio (RCA, 1950)
 5/   'A Vucchella (Albert Hall)
 6/   Marechiare (Albert Hall)
 7/   Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise (Albert Hall)
 8/   I'm Falling in Love with Someone (Albert Hall)
 9/   Because You're Mine (Albert Hall)
10/  L'Alba Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra
11/  Ideale

Break

12/  Una Furtiva Lagrima (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
13/  Improvviso (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
14/  E Lucevan le Stelle (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
15/ Parigi, o Cara (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
16/ Vogliatemi Bene (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
17/ O Soave Fanciulla (Hollywood Bowl, 1947)
18/ Questa o Quella (RCA, 1950)
19/ La Donna e' Mobile (RCA, 1950)
20/ Parmi Veder le Lagrime (RCA, 1950)
21/ Recondita Armonia (RCA, 1950)
22/ Cielo e Mar (RCA, 1950)
23/ Vesti la Giubba (RCA, 1950)
24/ Testa Adorata
25/ Nessun Dorma (Serenade film take)

I don't know why I wrote earlier that there were only "21" recordings on the playlist; I obviously can't count!

Cheers
Derek

[Michael McAdam]

Damn and blast it!...:-) that I was inundated with in-laws, outlaws, birthday kids over the long weekend (here) so didn't get to hear the apparently great program on Lanza the seriously-talented operatic singer . It almost sounds like Mr. Fogel comes from the same mold as Mr. McGovern. Not as privy to landmark and/or rare recordings as Derek but he's a great media asset to have in the fold so to speak (and I am confident that our erudite and tenacious moderator ;-) will bend his ear at every opportunity).

 

That being said, a joyous "YAY!!" that my/our sorely-missed Muriella is finally released from PC (and other) purgatory and is back in the fold.

A heartfelt "welcome back", Ma'm!

 

Michael

[Lou]

Hi Derek: I'd say three English songs out of 25 selections was almost negligible as a distraction from Lanza's opera-singer image, especially since they were located in the first half of the program. If the psychologists are right, one can assume that the recency effect kicked in and caused listeners to best remember and give greater significance to selections (arias and operatic duets) in the second half of the program.

 

Cheers,

Lou

[Michael McAdam]

Derek: this comment on the Amazon overview of Mr. Fogel's book "There are 53 entries, one each for 52 singers and a composite entry for a group of Hollywood vocalists" begs a question; ergo: I'm assuming that the gentleman did NOT lump Lanza in with the the Hollywood singers? That question, on second thought, is likely redundant or he would likely not have mounted a radio program of that nature to single out Lanza....or?

M.

(P.S: I second Gary's remark re the great photos you picked for this week's Forum splash page)

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Mike: Your excitement about Henry Fogel has made you confuse him with author Clyde T. McCants! It's the latter who wrote the book American Opera Singers and Their Recordings. Yes, Lanza's in the section on "Hollywood Based Singers." 

Cheers

Derek 

[Michael McAdam]

Quite right, Derek. That's what happens when you let a senior citizen do two things at once :-)

Still vexed that I missed that program. You gave enough notices and the station link also. Danged in-laws and kids! 

 

M.

[Michael McAdam]

Just a quick addendum here, Derek. I'm sure that I speak for all Forum members when I say Good Show! in your eforts at apprising us all of this broadcast and providing the link to same for those unable to pick it up on-air or by SatCom, Cable etc.

Mike

[Muriel]

I hope I'm on the right site, as I am confused by the two Google groups! Someone will have to set me straight on this. Lee Ann came to visit me last week and I might have to have her return to hold my hand. Thanks, Lee Ann!!!  I'm a slow learner on this new machine and have already corrupted many things.

 

Thanks to all the friendly responses to my post. As you can tell, I'm terribly rusty and ordinarily would have listed all the selections played in the program. I second Michael's observation about Derek's excellent work making us aware of what is going on and then showing how to access everything. With my old computer, I could never access any link and was disappointed at not knowing what people were talking about. I'm several years behind in hearing the new CDs and DVDs. I'll work on getting up to date. Just being able to get this computer took all that  time......

 

I did want to say that I hope there will be a return to Lanza by Mr. Fogel which includes the remaing Otello aria as well as Che Gelida Manina and the FTFT Vesti, my favorite version. 

 

I'm leaving for a week's vacation with children and eight grandchildren (!!), but I'll try to be more of an active participant when I return. Sadly, my time on the computer will be more limited than in the past, but I hope to not disappear completely.  

 

So...Ciao a tutti, for a little while.....Muriel

 

 

 

  

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Muriella: Don't worry! There aren't two Lanza Google Groups -- just two versions of the same group. The only difference between the two is the layout. Whether one posts on the old version or the new version, it's still the same forum, but the new version will allow you to insert photos into your posts, use italics, etc. You can change back and forth between the two formats by clicking on "Home" if you're on the new version, or by clicking on "View this group in the new Google Groups" if you're on the old format.

How can you tell which one you're on? The new version features two (ever-changing) photos on the home page, and is a lot easier on the eyes than the now rather-austere old version.

Hope that all makes sense!

By the way, I don't think Henry Fogel will need much persuasion to include the Otello Death Scene and the 1949 Che Gelida next time round, as they're both obvious choices for a follow-up program. 

Have a great vacation, my dear, and we'll catch up on your return...

All the best

Derek

[gary from NS]

Hi Muriel,
I will "second" Derek's remarks..Have a great vacation,and looking forward to seeing you here again.
Cheers
Gary

[Derek McGovern]

Just an update on Henry Fogel's programme on Lanza: it was certainly well received. Prof. Fogel told me a few days ago that it had earned more international feedback than any other programme in the eleven-year history of his show.

In short, no matter how much it pains his detractors, Lanza still commands attention! And as a person calling himself yougats pointed out a while ago on the operatic forum rec.musical.classical, Lanza is not going to go away anytime soon. I know I've posted this before, but it's too good not to be given a reprise:

"I haven't the slightest interest in defending Lanza, anymore than I have in defending Tchaikovsky, or Schubert, or Gershwin, or Van Gogh for that matter.  Why should Lanza have to be "defended" or "explained" anymore than any other artist, except in an intellectually credible context? And the present (invidiously dismissive) context is not intellectually credible.   That's my point.  Lanza was a unique stylist:  heavy voice, pop intonation, impeccable phrasing, articulate interpretation of the lyric, and a fairly wide-ranging repertoire that included British and American pop, operetta, opera, musical comedy, sentimental ballads, Christmas songs, and religious hymns.

"Now I never waste time defending artists of these qualifications.  I mean, there are credible reservations to be made about a Gershwin or a Tchaikovsky or a Schubert or a Lanza.  Unfortunately, no such defensible logic was applied in the original post; so I was quite willing to negotiate it on a strictly non-musical level commensurate with its substance.

"Apart from aesthetics, there is Samuel Johnson's famous criteria of what pleases many for long; and Lanza fits that criteria.  Indeed, two generations of singers have referred to Lanza's voice and style as an inspiration, including Jose Carreras.  There is, I think, on DVD, a documentary on Lanza's career narrated by Domingo.  His records rank among the best-selling in the Victor catalogue.  They are recycled in every conceivable form, indeed multiplying like locusts in THE GOOD EARTH.  Believe me, if this man wasn't an artist, he'd be forgotten by now; certainly by singers of the international caliber of the ones I mentioned.

"Obviously, even the greatest artists are not to everyone's taste; and this includes Mozart (who leaves many cold); Bach (who perplexes many); Brahms (who bores some); Schubert (who has been treated more or less as a glorified amateur by several on this newsgroup), Verdi (perceived as an Italian primitive by some), Puccini (treated as a rank sentimentalist by many), Strauss, Bruckner, Mahler, and lesser musical luminaries.  As recently as Bernard Herrmann's early career he was dismayed and outraged to find that one had to hide Puccini's sheet music from one's music teacher or risk ridicule. Puccini still fills opera houses all over the world; while that music teacher probably doesn't even fill a six foot hole any longer.

"To paraphrase a remark Hemingway once made in defense of Robert Browning over T. S. Eliot, if I thought that by grinding one of Mario Lanza's critics in a meat grinder I could bring Lanza back to life, I would head immediately to the necessary location with a grinder in my hand."

 

Now is that a post or what?!

[Tony Partington]

Well!!!  That's one hell of a post and all I can say is:

 

1. Bravo Henry Fogel.

 

2. I have always appreciated Hemmingway, but so much more so now.

 

and finally...

 

3.  I have always loved Robert Browning and ground meat.

 

Ciao ~ Tony

[Derek McGovern]

Here's another thread that's well worth (re)visiting. Don't miss the striking comments by someone calling himself yougats (reproduced in my previous post above).

Incidentally, while I've heard nothing more from Henry Fogel about a follow-up program on Lanza, I'll be surprised if he doesn't do another broadcast on him. Perhaps the revival of this thread may nudge him into action? :)

Cheers

Derek    

[Derek McGovern]

I see that Henry Fogel's second program on Mario Lanza will be broadcast at 8pm CST on Chicago's renowned classical music station 98.7 WFTM today: 

http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=1,1,41,4

That's in just over ten hours, and a live link is available at the above. I'll be teaching while the first half of the program is airing, but hope to hear the second hour. 

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this program, and fingers crossed for an excellent musical selection and fair commentary!

[Derek McGovern]

Well, I heard the second half of Henry Fogel's show, and Lee Ann's filled me in on what he played in the first half.

All I can say is: what a disappointment this program's musical selections were! I am absolutely baffled as to how a distinguished music critic could have chosen the Coke versions of "Celeste Aida," "Amor ti vieta," the Flower Song, "Che gelida manina (!!!!)," and "Yours Is My Heart Alone," when infinitely superior versions of all five exist, or why he chose the Albert Hall "Marechiare" (for the second time too) and the rough-as-old-boots RCA Butterfly duet with Malbin. None of these recordings represents Lanza at even remotely near his best. His detractors will have had a field day.

I was also aghast that Prof. Fogel played the Coke "Amor ti vieta" not once but twice! How could he have overlooked the magnificent Serenade version?

I don't know if Derek Mannering acted as an advisor on this program, but if he didn't, then he must certainly have been surprised and delighted by the emphasis on Coke recordings.

Yes, there were some positives, including the two Chenier arias, the 1948 Nessun Dorma, the Student Prince "Serenade," and two arias from the 1948 Toronto concert, but I seriously doubt that the program will have inspired any opera lovers previously unfamiliar with Lanza to rush out and buy his only all-operatic album.

I'm very disappointed---in fact, I'm quite depressed---that a rare opportunity to showcase Lanza at his best has been squandered.

[Barnabas Nemeth]

Another reason that we have to force at every forum (BMG, ...)  to be released an appropriate compilation of operatic CD, and Neapolitean CD, etc. Barnabas

[Armando]

Distinguished music critic?! The only way I can justify his pathetic selections is if the professor is going deaf!!

[Derek McGovern]

A few more thoughts on the latest Fogel programme:

He did make some excellent comments about Lanza. These included the observation that his voice was still intact at the end---that he had many singing years ahead of him, in fact. I was annoyed, however, that Fogel questioned (as he did on his first programme) whether Lanza possessed the ability to learn operatic roles. I thought I'd gotten through to him on that point when we discussed the matter via email back in 2011.  Good God: won't that myth ever stop being regurgitated?

And while it was wonderful to hear Prof. Fogel state that Lanza had made "some truly magnificent [operatic] recordings," I don't feel he provided enough evidence to support that (valid) claim. Yes, he played the two RCA Chenier arias (again) and the Lamento di Federico and "Vesti la giubba" from Toronto, but apart from "E lucevan le stelle" from Albert Hall, he featured nothing operatic recorded after 1952. (That's why I wonder if Mannering influenced his selections.) There was no indication provided as to Lanza's growth as an artist post-1952, and most of the operatic recordings he played in the second hour represented off-days in the studios between 1950 and 1952. 

What could he have included instead? Here's what I suggested to him in another 2011 email: 

"Apart from the live and private performances, there are numerous (and often hard-to-find) RCA and soundtrack recordings that you might want to consider: the 1949 Che Gelida Manina, the 1950 M'Appari', the 1950 O Tu che in Seno agli Angeli, the 1955 Amor Ti Vieta (much superior to the radio show version featured on the CD Mario Lanza: Opera Arias and Duets), Di Rigori Armato, and the Otello Death Scene, just to give a few examples. I'd also recommend including one of the Neapolitan song recordings from the superb Mario! album of December 1958 -- best heard on the 2006 SACD release Mario! Lanza At His Best."  

Oh well. I tried.

But I do wonder if Fogel actually listened to all the selections that he chose. Could anyone with a musical brain surely believe that the Coke "Che gelida manina"---just to give one example---represented good singing? I find it hard to believe that the same person who made glowing comments about Lanza's musical style on the two Toronto performances could not have recognized what a dreadful rendition that galloping Che gelida is!  

Barnabas: I certainly agree that, if nothing else, the unfortunate musical choices on this programme reinforce the need for decent compilations. And given that all of the worst tracks featured on this programme came from two Mannering compilations---Opera Arias and Duets and the all-Coke Lanza Sings His Favorite Arias (chosen as one of the discs for the 5-CD set Original Album Classics)---I can only repeat what I argue here: that Lanza's best operatic work will languish in obscurity as long as patchy albums like these are permitted by Sony.

[Derek McGovern]

A P.S. to Barnabas:

I'm sorry to be so pessimistic, but I can honestly not see how we can get Sony/BMG to listen to us as long as Derek Mannering is the company's anointed Lanza compiler. He's been determining the content of Lanza CDs for two decades now, and has earned the trust of all the right people. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Elissa Lanza is one of his biggest supporters. 

Several of us here have tried on numerous occasions to persuade Sony/BMG to consider our proposals. Each time we have either been ignored or fobbed off. The sole success that we have had to date was in persuading BMG UK (not BMG US) to release the Serenade soundtrack and Cavalcade album on this (now deleted) twofer back in 2004. But that was pure luck: someone from BMG UK actually posted on the Rense forum asking for LP-to-CD suggestions, and I think I was the first (relatively?) sane person to respond. (Others who subsequently replied wanted Lanza on Broadway as one of the albums!)

I can only assume that Sony/BMG doesn't care about the representation of Lanza's legacy. The heavily promoted Mannering CDs sell well, and that's all that matters.  

As for your idea of going to the other Lanza forums, I'm afraid I see no point in doing that. The Lanza Legend forum is virtually inactive these days, while no one on the Rense forum seems to share our concern about the need for outstanding Neapolitan and operatic compilations, such as the ones suggested in my article. In fact, I suspect that the majority of fans on the Rense forum are delighted with the CDs that Sony has been releasing---Mannering's offerings are announced there as if they were nectar from the gods---and are genuinely puzzled as to why some of us here are complaining!

Cheers,

Derek

[leeann]

I was trying to imagine the impressions of Lanza someone might have who listened to last night's broadcast. Certainly, as audiences have for decades now, anyone would leave the program,  moved by the power and beauty of the voice. But I'd think it would create a lot of questions for the more-than-casual listener.

I just had to wonder if an intern put the program together. It doesn't make much sense that a playlist highlighting Lanza's classical/operatic music would play COKE songs when superior renditions are available. To say nothing of adding the lesser "Marechiare" to selections chosen from the many strong pieces of the Royal Albert Hall performance--especially after Fogel cited that concert as proof that Lanza was not at all in decline.

It's obvious, even to the untrained ear, that there's a huge variation of quality between the chosen "Celeste Aida" and the superb selections from Toronto, for example.

Fogel's commentary was brief. The two hours were mostly music, leaving the listener to his own devices--except for what has almost become the obligatory conversation Derek pointed to above about Lanza's character and will.

It would've helped at least to explain the circumstances and context of the Coke recordings--the quick rehearsals for a popular entertainment show not meant either for posterity or as a classical showcase, etcetera.

So, I think the miracle continues--the miracle of an unstoppable, beautiful, powerful voice, a force of nature,  that continues to  transcend circumstances that should have assured obscurity.

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lee Ann: 

All I can say is: I hope you're right that casual/first-time listeners focused not on the negatives but on the miracle of Lanza's voice!

My final (!) thoughts on the Fogel programme:

Here's what I think happened: Derek Mannering gifted the so-so 5-CD set Mario Lanza: Original Album Classics to Henry Fogel, no doubt alerting him to the previously unheard (on CD) album of Coke arias included on it. That set, along with the (also) Mannering-compiled Opera Arias and Duets, then provided almost all of the material for the second hour of the show. That would certainly explain the inclusion of things like the underwhelming Coke "Yours Is My Heart Alone" (from Side B of The Student Prince, which is one of the albums included in the 5-CD set) and the truly dreadful Coke "Che gelida manina." 

And that's how we ended up with such a disappointing program.

Predictably, we've already been told by Mannering that we should be reflecting with delight on "the rare and happy event" of a two-hour show devoted to Lanza, and broadcast in prime time. But it's precisely the rareness of this event that makes me frustrated that so many bad-to-awful recordings were included. Who in their right musical mind could possibly be satisfied by the Coke "Amor ti vieta" (played twice in one hour), the embarrassingly bad "Marechiare" from Albert Hall (unfathomably, making its second appearance on a Fogel show), the Coke "Che gelida manina" and "Celeste Aida," etc? Even the inclusion of "Deep in My Heart, Dear" made little sense, since it's mostly Elizabeth Doubleday (singing both her part and the Prince's), while Lanza sings only the intro---the recording of which is then duplicated and spliced on (clumsily) at the end. Why not "Beloved" or the Drinking Song or "I'll Walk with God" from that soundtrack instead? And why the only substandard track from the "B" side of The Student Prince ("Yours Is My Heart Alone")? Again, I seriously question whether Prof. Fogel actually listened to these recordings before he chose them. (You may be on to something, Lee Ann, with your intern theory! :))

The absence on both shows of anything from Lanza's historic first recording session, or, for that matter, from the Cavalcade album, For the First Time, Mario! and most of the Serenade soundtrack (apart from the material featured on Opera Arias and Duets), also makes me wonder if Fogel is even aware of these recordings. What a truly "rare and happy event" the inclusion of highlights from all (or even some) of these sessions would have been!

Cheers,

Derek

[Barnabas Nemeth]

I totally agree with Derek. I was wondering several times whether Mannering used to read our blog knowing about our critics, suggestions or not. Is there any antagonistic difference between our efforts and his approach and relations? Otherwise, what is the way to obtain opportunity to get into any radio or TV-programme? Have you Derek or Armando ever written suggestions in the name of our initiative to Sony/BMG to release a higher quality of compilation or up to series in Mario's best renditions? Not easy, I know but this way like Fogel and Mannering programmes are getting tragic and misleading, and hurts Marios's legacies. Cheers, Barnabas 

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Barnabas: Yes, I'm sure Derek Mannering reads this forum---and he definitely knows that many of us are unhappy with his compilations. He also knows that he was the target of criticisms in Armando's book, Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy, regarding poorly compiled BMG CDs. His response has always been to dismiss these criticisms of his CDs as the views of a mere "few fans out there." I therefore assume that he doesn't care what we think. 

And why would he care? He is treated like royalty by the British Mario Lanza Society, showered with praise by the Rense forum, and his compilations have been hailed as "superb" by the Mario Lanza Institute. On top of that, he has been given ample opportunity to promote his highly contentious view of Lanza---i.e. that he was not an opera singer, but rather a popular singer in the Sinatra vein who sang the occasional aria---on various high-profile programs, most extensively on the BBC documentary Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods (which further flattered by him by borrowing the title of his second biography). And as I wrote earlier, no one apart from us questions his compilation choices these days. Mr. Mannering can do no wrong.

But this man is not a musical expert. He's not even particularly interested in opera. His tastes lean more to the likes of Andrea Bocelli, the only contemporary tenor whom I can ever recall him praising (and highly too).

Please understand, though: I'm not criticizing him for his musical taste. That's his own business. But the problem is that it becomes our business, as sincere Lanza admirers, when his musical taste imposes itself on Lanza's CD discography. The reason we have lightweight Lanza compilations or, in the case of Opera Arias and Duets, some poor choices of renditions, is at least partially a result of a) the compiler's musical preferences and b) an apparent inability to distinguish between sloppy operatic singing and superb operatic singing. Yes, BMG and Sony are also to blame, but when it comes to poor choices of renditions (where obviously superior versions exist), I seriously doubt that BMG/Sony are the ones making the wrong decisions. 

When I think of how differently Lanza's legacy would have been represented on CD if, say, Armando or Vince had been allowed to have some input into the selections (and also the CD concepts), well, I honestly want to weep.

Cheers,

Derek