Miscellaneous Lanza-related questions and/or comments (Jan 2014)

[Derek McGovern]

Well, it's a new year, and also time for a new "miscellaneous" thread. As always, please use this particular thread for any general comments or questions about Mario Lanza.  

For any non-Lanza-related general posts, please use the current Off-Topic Chat Thread. 

Cheers,

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

I see that the latest edition of Limelight Magazine has an interesting article on Pavarotti, Richard Bonynge makes some astute comments, and there's also a fleeting reference to Pavarotti's love for Lanza:

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/368390,becoming-pavarotti.aspx 

[Derek McGovern]

I see that over on the Rense forum there's been some discussion on Lanza's 1949 recording of "Che gelida manina," which has been rightly praised for being a towering achievement. At the same time, however, Derek Mannering has been questioning whether Lanza would have performed the aria with "the same warmth and intensity had he sung the entire role [of Rodolfo] on stage." After all, Mr. Mannering argues, "Lanza's performance, glorious though it unquestionably is, had all the support, comfort and security of a studio recording." 

Hmm. Aside from the fact that this one-take recording was made essentially without rehearsal and (astonishingly) with a first-time conductor---thereby making the notion of "support" a curious claim---if we're going to question whether great singers could have emulated the success of their studio recordings in a live setting, then why stop at Lanza? There are numerous examples of singers recording extracts from operas or even entire roles that they never performed on stage, and being praised for their efforts without anyone carping, "Oh, but he didn't sing it live." Jussi Bjoerling, for example, never performed the role of Nadir in The Pearl Fishers, and yet he is (rightly) celebrated for his recording of the famous tenor-baritone duet from that opera. Shouldn't Mr. Mannering be raising the same concerns about Bjoerling's recording, and adding (as he does about Lanza) that, "We will never know" how he might have fared on stage in the role? (And for the sake of consistency, shouldn't Mr. Mannering also be questioning whether Lanza could have emulated the success of his MGM Student Prince recordings in a stage performance as the Prince?)  

Now some might say, "Ah, but Bjoerling proved time and again that he could sing operatic roles magnificently in a live setting." True enough, but there's also sufficient evidence that Lanza, despite his extremely limited stage career, could sing opera convincingly in live performance. In fact, he performed "Che gelida manina" (without transposition) at a number of concerts in the 1940s, with the Ottawa Journal praising his singing on one of these occasions as "convincing both musically and histrionically." He also performed the entire third act of Puccini's La Boheme at Tanglewood (under both Leonard Bernstein and Boris Goldovsky), receiving high praise for his beautiful voice and vivid characterization of Rodolfo. In addition to these performances, he received excellent reviews for the two complete roles he performed in 1942 and 1948, including that of Pinkerton (which, vocally at least, is arguably as challenging as Rodolfo). Now if we add those glowing reviews to the recorded examples we have of Lanza singing outstandingly at the Hollywood Bowl from 1947 to 1949, along with his superb operatic singing at Toronto's Massey Hall in 1948, then it seems eminently reasonable to conclude that he wouldn't have had any difficulty performing the complete role of Rodolfo to the same level of distinction.  

In any event, a studio recording---especially one made in 1949, when the kind of trickery that would allow the splicing together of multiple partial takes was not yet technically possible---should be judged on its own merits. It's also entirely valid to compare one artist's studio recording with that of another (regardless of the singers' respective careers), and on that basis Lanza's singing of "Che gelida manina" ranks alongside the very best recorded efforts of this aria. Why not leave it at that, rather than adding superfluous concerns in the same breath to undermine the man's achievement?   

Cheers

Derek         

[Armando]

Why Derek Mannering insists on making comments on a subject (singing) about which he knows nothing is beyond me. Equally baffling is that no-one on the Rense forum makes the slightest attempt to question the validity of his statements. When it comes to studio recordings vs live singing, for example, someone should explain to him that, as Domingo and others have stated, it is more difficult to record an operatic aria on its own, or outside the full context of the work, where you have the benefit of creating a role from beginning to end with the rest of the singers and, hopefully, a competent conductor.  

In Domingo’s case, he found it difficult to record even arias from operas that he had sung numerous times on the stage. Therefore, it must have been doubly difficult for Lanza since, with the exception of the Butterfly duet, he had not sung any of the roles he recorded in full.

Mannering's questioning of whether Lanza would have performed the aria with "the same warmth and intensity had he sung the entire role [of Rodolfo] on stage.” is equally absurd.  There are numerous examples of outstanding live singing by Lanza, and I would venture that with more stage experience and, above all, a better conductor, Lanza would have surpassed his recording of Che Gelida Manina which, although well sung, is musically faulty due to the incompetent conducting.

While on the subject of this recording, last year I had occasion to play it for Renato Palumbo who was conducting a series of performances of Aida in Melbourne. Since he was not overly familiar with Lanza, I didn’t tell him who the tenor or the conductor was.

This was his response.

He said the singer had an important voice, but that it was obvious he hadn’t very much experience singing opera.

About the conducting he stated that whoever it was not only was an extremely poor conductor, but that he had not the slightest clue how to conduct Puccini. He added that the entire approach is wrong, that he brings nothing out of the orchestra and leaves the singer entirely to his own devices. He also asked me if it was a live performance, and when I told him it was a studio recording he was surprised that it was released and not rejected.

I chose Che Gelida Manina for the latest Lanza CD release “Mario Lanza in Hollywood” Mannering proudly tells his disciples on Rense’s forum. Fair enough - but a pity he also chose Libiamo, Make Believe, Among My Souvenirs, Lolita, Day In Day Out, A Vucchella, I Love Thee, What Is This Thing Called Love? and I’ll Never Love You, which are all badly sung!

Years ago someone asked me: “If you could ask a genie to grant you a wish what would it be?  I replied: “Good health.”  

But if I could now ask the genie for two further wishes they would be for Mannering to stop talking nonsense and, above all, to please never compile a Lanza CD again!

[Armando]

Derek has asked me if I could elaborate on the problems with the conducting of the 1949 Che Gelida Manina. 

The reality is that the way Callinicos drags the orchestra along makes it even more difficult to sing what is already a demanding aria.  To be able to deliver the performance he did means that Lanza’s lung power and stamina were simply phenomenal. If you follow the recording with the attached score, you’ll see that, musically, the whole thing is a mess. The rubato is totally wrong.  

What is rubato, you might ask? This is an expressive device by which the tempo is varied at a particular point in the music to allow the shaping of a phrase. In other words, it's when the conductor uses a flexible tempo to enhance the performer's artistic expression.      

Just as an example, take this phrase on Lanza's recording: "Chi son?  Sono un poeta . Che cosa faccio ? Scrivo . E come vivo?"  It’s too slow and too long while the final "vivo" should be longer. It's the same thing with "E per castelli in aria …. l’anima ho milionaria . Talor dal mio forziere … ruban tutti i gioielli due ladri gli occhi belli"  right through to "ma il furto non m’accora poiche’." Here, the orchestra is dragging the tempo too slowly and the result is deadening.

What redeems the recording, however, is Lanza’s splendid voice and handling of the aria, which, as I said above, would have been an easier and artistically superior task with a competent conductor.  

[Derek McGovern]

Ciao Armando: Many thanks for providing the sheet music to Che Gelida. Following it with the 1949 recording, it certainly rams home the extent to which Puccini's score is ignored here. As you say, the sheer stamina required of Mario is superhuman at times, especially on the line beginning "Talor dal mio forziere...," where Callinicos' incredibly slow tempo (and complete disregard for Puccini's note values and instruction for "molta espressione") turns the line into a feat of vocal virtuosity. Amazing stamina, yes, but it's not what Puccini wanted at this point!   

Straight after listening to the 1949 recording with the score, I played the Pavarotti/VonKarajan version for comparison. What a difference orchestrally! Von Karajan varies the tempo when it should be varied, making it much easier vocally for Pavarotti on the aforementioned phrase, for example, on which the tempo is much brisker, and slowing down at the appropriate moments to allow Pav to shine expressively. For anyone struggling to tell what Callinicos is doing wrong on his version, I strongly recommend comparing the 1949 recording with the Von Karajan version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8NLidPIeVA (Pavarotti/Von Karajan)

  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOPvS5mYX70 (Lanza/Callinicos)

Now of course I can already anticipate certain people saying, "Ah, but Lanza could never have worked with someone as musically exacting as Von Karajan, so we should be grateful that Callinicos coaxed the performance that he did from the man." Lanza, they would have us believe, could never have approached Pavarotti's level of musical accuracy. That's utter rubbish, of course. When he was properly prepared and working with the right people---just like Pavarotti, who didn't read music any more than Lanza did, and was reportedly a slow study---Lanza's work could be very respectable, musically speaking, as George London once observed. And there are certainly enough recorded examples of Lanza being highly musical (think of Ideale, on which the man is almost alone in his note-for-note respect for Tosti's markings). 

Comparing Pavarotti with Lanza on their respective recordings is also fascinating. Yes, there are moments on which Pavarotti outshines Lanza (his disarmingly beautiful "Vuole?" and the lovely contrast between the two "Chi son?" that follow come to mind), and he's softer when he's supposed to be---e.g., at the beginning and at the very end. Pavarotti also shows real personality at times---a welcome change from the blandness of much of his later singing. (As Di Stefano once wrote, "Pavarotti sings notes; I sing words.") 

On the downside, Pavarotti is blandness personified for the first minute or so of the aria, and the difference in sheer vocal beauty between the two men's voices is starkly apparent here. Much later in the aria, even his celebrated high C is marred by an ugliness that creeps into his voice before he finishes the word ("speranza").    

Lanza's rendition may lack the nuance of Pavrotti's delivery, but he's never less than fully committed here---from beginning to end---while vocally he's absolutely extraordinary. The vocal beauty never falters. He also delivers the rendition in one take, which is something that Pavarotti clearly doesn't do! There's an audible edit right before the difficult "Talor dal mio forziere" on Pav's version.

Come to think of it, these two recordings would have been excellent candidates for our "Whose version do you prefer?" thread. I know which rendition I'd take to that desert island!

Cheers

Derek 

[Armando]

Hi Derek:  The music score is an essential part in analysing a performance. It’s the only way to determine whether the reading of it is in accordance with the composer’s intentions.  

By following the operatic recordings that Lanza made with Callinicos with the music score it’s evident that the man had no idea how to conduct not only Puccini, but also the more demanding music of Verdi.

Yes, you might say, but then why did Lanza keep working with Callinicos? And here we have a parallel between the Lanza- Callinicos and Pavarotti -Magiera working collaborations.

Since neither Lanza or Pavarotti could sight read, they both relied heavily on the conductor and both conductors had monetary stakes in their respective tenors which were far too high to risk antagonising them.

In Lanza’s case, Callinicos ingratiated himself with the tenor by boosting the latter ego and constantly making sure that he would retain him as a conductor. Was Callinicos aware of his own limitations? I very much doubt it.

Similarly, Magiera, who, although better than Callinicos, was himself not a great conductor, would be loath to antagonise Pavarotti.

I was present at a rehearsal which was not open the public, but to only a few members of the press. Pavarotti acted as he was the conductor instead of Magiera. He kept addressing the latter in terms that were an embarrassment to those present and Magiera said nothing, not a single word.

So, here we have two singers who felt comfortable working with a particular conductor but, as you pointed out, does this mean that Lanza, in particular, couldn’t have worked with anyone else?   

Of course, not- and he did. Imagine, for example, if Parmi Veder le Lagrime , the Forza aria or Niun Mi Tema  had been conducted by Ferrara. With Callinicos the tempi are too fast in all three arias. Lanza is very good in both the Forza aria and Niun mi Tema but could have been even better at a slower tempo.  

In summing up, Derek, all those who think this is a case of Callinicos bashing on my part have to do is just listen to the recordings and follow them with the respective music score. On the other hand one can choose to remain blissfully ignorant and continue to claim that Callinicos was a God sent for Lanza-such is life!

Ciao

Armando

[George Laszlo]

This program of a 2010 interview with Mario's daughter popped up while I was searching for something else. Some of you may know about it but I thought I would post it here just in case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYI9nh6WZxk

[Derek McGovern]

Hi George: That interview with Ellisa is discussed on one of our old threads here. 

Cheers

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

Ciao Armando: Poor old Leone Magiera! At least Callinicos---to the best of my knowledge---never suffered the public (or semi-public) humiliation of Lanza questioning his conducting! 

Pavarotti certainly wasn't always the living embodiment of his carefully crafted lovable public image. 

Getting back to Lanza, though, for all that cynics might say that he wasn't capable of discussing musical matters, it would be fascinating to know what kind of discussions took place behind the scenes with Callinicos prior to making a recording. Did they discuss the tempo that was going to be employed on a particular aria, for example? One would think so, although knowing Lanza, he was probably content to trust Callinicos' judgement on such matters. 

But I do wonder if Mario's father, the music-loving Antonio, ever raised concerns about Callinicos' conducting with his son. Wasn't the 1950 recording of the Force of Destiny aria a birthday present from Lanza to his father, whose favourite aria this was? I can definitely imagine Antonio, who (when you met him) wasn't averse to acknowledging faults with some of his son's early operatic recordings, recognizing that the overly fast tempo on this (and other arias) was a mistake. Did Antonio ever suggest to his son that he might want to consider working with someone else? I do have to wonder.

Cheers

Derek  

 

[Vincent Di Placido]

I remember a broadcast of Sir Thomas Beecham's 1956 complete recording of "La Boheme" on BBC radio when I was in my teens & there was an extensive introduction explaining how the recording came about & I remember being impressed that what I was hearing was how Puccini would have liked it performed because Beecham was working with Puccini in 1920 in London, not actually on "La Boheme" if I remember rightly, but Beecham brought his  "La Boheme" score & worked through it with Puccini marking the score with all Puccini's instructions.

Here is Jussi's "Che Gelida Manina" from that 1956 complete recording with what I have always been led to believe contains as close to Puccini's vision as we can hope for...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjk6DAhJ-Hw

[Vincent Di Placido]

& talking of working with Puccini on the score here is Toscanini, who conducted the "La Boheme" Premiere in 1896, rehearsing for a 1946 broadcast.

 

This is fascinating...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06g3XdUJefA

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: When I was growing up, I was forever being told by opera lovers that Bjoerling's rendition of "Che gelida manina" on that Beecham recording was the definitive version of the aria. 

Well, it's certainly a beautiful rendition---capped with a thrilling high C---and Beecham's conducting is in a very different class from poor old Callinicos' efforts (no dragging of the orchestra here!), but I'm not convinced that Jussi's rendition is superior to Mario's. Musically, yes, but interpretively, no. In fact, I'm not convinced that Bjoerling knew what he was singing about in certain places. For instance, when he sings "E come vivo? Vivo!" (And how do I live? I live!"), he seems to be just reciting the words. Then there's his bad Italian, with mispronunciations throughout the aria ("gioi-jelly," "piassia" instead of "piaccia," etc). It's a wonder Beecham didn't correct him!  

(Incidentally, I may be hearing things, but it seemed to me that Bjoerling and Beecham's orchestra weren't quite in sync with each other during the lead-up to the high C.) 

I guess one could argue that Bjoerling sounds more like a poet than Lanza does in his more heroic and less nuanced rendition, but the latter is so miraculous vocally (right down to the magical ring in his voice on "luna" on the line "e qui la luna l'abbiamo"---a line on which everyone else sounds dry-voiced by comparison), and is so clearly living the words, that his version surely deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.

That Toscanini rehearsal was hilarious! A conductor who sings all the words! But who on earth would have the patience to endure such a rehearsal?! Certainly not Mario :)

Cheers

Derek 

[Derek McGovern]

P.S. I still wish that Lindsay Perigo had asked Callinicos to elaborate when the latter claimed to him in this 1981 interview that the Lanza "Che gelida manina" had been judged superior to Bjoerling's by an international panel of critics. What panel was this? And was this the source of Derek Mannering's claim in his first book that the 1949 recording was "subsequently voted operatic recording of the year by the National Record Critics Association"? I'd love to know. 

I'd also like to know why Callinicos claimed in the same interview that the recording was made in stereo! 

[Armando]

Hi Derek: As you know, when I met Antonio I had no idea that I’d be writing a book about his son. Unfortunately, Antonio died a mere 3 years later, but had he lived I certainly would have endeavoured to conduct more extensive interviews with him. As well as being a welcoming host he was more than willing to share his memories and discuss his son’s career –albeit with a veil of sadness in his voice.

I will be forever grateful to him for his kindness and co-operation.

As far as Lanza working collaboration with Callinicos is concerned, I think that what it boils down to is that in the majority of cases, singers, particularly inexperienced or musically unschooled ones, rely almost entirely on the conductor.

Even someone with the musical background of Maria Callas put her trust in the conductor she was working with- but then again what conductors! Serafin, Votto, De Fabritis, Von Karajan and many more of equal calibre.

When Nicola Rescigno asked Callas what she thought about the tempi of a number of arias they were to record, she replied, “You conduct and I’ll sing. Your job is to conduct, mine to sing.” 

Saluti

Armando

[Derek McGovern]

Ciao Armando: More interviews with Antonio would have been wonderful! But at least you got to meet him and hear some of his precious memories.

As for lost opportunities, I still kick myself that I didn't try to get more out of Paul Baron when I met him. There were so many things I could have asked him, particularly about individual songs (e.g. the decision to perform "Ideale" in a lower key), Mario's supposed heart attack during the re-recording of The Student Prince, the recording engineers' stuff-ups, etc. It's been suggested that I should have shown up with an expensive bottle of whisky---maybe then he wouldn't have kicked me out of his apartment after just five or ten minutes!   

That's very interesting about Callas and Rescigno. I'd have thought that Maria would have wanted to be more hands on when it came to her recordings.

Out of curiosity, what's your opinion of Bjoerling's rendition of "Che gelida manina," especially in comparison with Lanza's?

Cheers

Derek

[Armando]

Hi Derek: In answer to your question, I think that vocally and musically Bjorling’s Che Gelida Manina is excellent, but I do find Beecham conducting on the slow side, so I’m surprised to hear that he marked the score according to Puccini’s instructions. As well as being musically accurate  Bjorling has an  attractive voice and sings well, but I simply do not believe in his Rodolfo. Partly it has to do with the unconvincing Italian and partly to his lack of involvement. Bjorling may sound like Rodolfo, but Lanza is Rodolfo, and in a theatre I don’t doubt for an instant which of the two would bring an audience to its feet.

Ciao

Armando

[Armando]

Derek:I find it simply astonishing that the best Lanza’s daughter, Lisa, can come up with when talking about her father’s beginnings is that “He started his career by singing at different parties, venues and so on…..”

How about the two years of vocal coaching with former soprano Irene Williams, the award by Serge Koussevitszky of a scholarship in Tanglewood, where he received rave reviews for his Fenton and Rodolfo, the vocal studies with Gigli’s teacher Enrico Rosati, the nearly 100 concerts he sang with the Bel Canto Trio between 1947/48, his professional debut as Pinkerton in New Orleans?  And much, much, more.  

Her other comments, as you pointed out in an earlier thread, are full of mistakes.

She might well be, as has been reported, both a gracious and lovely lady, but she is an extremely poor ambassador for her father.

Ciao,

Armando

[Vincent Di Placido]

By the way, Armando, thank you for all your insights into the singer-conductor relationship, I know a lot of people are mystified by the whole process, myself included :-)

If I had only 1 "Che Gelida Manina" it would be Mario's, he's a perfect Rodolfo & I love this recording. There are moments in other recordings with more inspired changes in tempo & better orchestral detail pulled out but overall Mario lifts this recording above all others for me. Talking about orchestral detail, one of the problems I have with this recording is a lack of detail in the orchestra, it all sounds a bit mushy, for want of a better word, even giving for the mono sound...

Yes! Jussi's Italian is a bit of a mess in spots & I know that's rich coming for me, I am a master at messing it up myself, but how come he was never told he was making these mistakes? He did it constantly accross his Italian language recordings...

I was listening to Toscanini's La Boheme broadcast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=848us2-68I8 & I was amazed at his singing along with the singers & orchestra, I read his podium was actually miked so you can here him clearly living every moment... I found it fascinating but it is a very strange practice...

[Armando]

Ciao, Vince: It is, indeed, all a bit mystifying and you’re absolutely right about the lack of orchestral detail – the sound is mushy and the orchestra dead in the water!  But I do agree with you that, regardless, Mario is a splendid Rodolfo.

It’s always been a mystery to me why various coaches and conductors didn’t correct the faulty pronunciation, not only of Jussi, but also Mario, and a few others.  It would have been so simple!  

As for Toscanini, he was utterly up himself, loved the sound of his own (speaking) voice, couldn’t stand being contradicted, and, in my opinion, is greatly overrated. I don’t think I have ever heard a worst performance La Traviata than his 1946 recording conducted at breakneck speed. It certainly didn’t do the singers any favours, and is virtually the complete opposite of what Verdi intended. But aside from some of the more knowledgeable Italian critics, dare to criticise Toscanini and you risk being lynched- such is the myth!  

Cari saluti

Armando

P.S. Will write soon about our forthcoming trip to Europe.

[Derek McGovern]

Last year there was some discussion here regarding Roland Bessette's elaboration (in Lindsay Perigo's 2013 e-book The One Tenor) of his theory that Lanza suffered from bipolar I disorder. 

Bessette argues at some length that Lanza's 1957 appearance on The Christophers religious program is indicative of "mania at work." In support of his view, Bessette cites the opinions of friends and acquaintances, including one psychiatrist, stating that they were all equally "alarmed" and "aghast" at Lanza's conduct on the show. 

But Bessette's trump card here is his assertion that the program never aired on TV. Why not? Because, he infers, the founder and host of the show, Father James Keller, was also disturbed by Lanza's behavior---most seriously by the tenor's "flight of fancy" regarding his claim that he saw his career unfold while an altar boy in church---tried "to rein him in" and failed, and thus "saw the end of any possibility of airing the session." In short, Bessette concludes, even Father Keller sensed that there was something seriously wrong with Lanza's mental state.

This is absolute nonsense, as it turns out. I'd already known that Father Keller---far from being dismayed by Lanza's behavior on the program---had actually taken the time to write to the tenor in May 1958, praising his (and wife Betty's) appearance on the program as "informally sparkling." But here's proof that Father Keller was not merely being polite to Lanza when he wrote that letter: the program did air. Here's a cutting from the Miami News of October 16, 1959, clearly showing the program scheduled for a 7:30pm screening on Florida's WTHS-TV: 

ETA: It wasn't the first time the program was broadcast either. Lee Ann has just sent me a clipping from the Chicago Daily Tribune that reveals the program was aired on Chicago's WGN-TV at 8:30am on July 6, 1958.

I suggest that Roland Bessette finds himself another Exhibit A.

Cheers,

Derek

P.S. The Christophers clearly haven't revised their perception of Lanza's appearance on that show. Just last year, it was screened a number of times on various religious channels in the US (including Catholic TV) as part of The Christophers' Classic Christmas Special.  

[leeann]

Oh, Derek, it seems to me the Bessette book is so poorly researched and documented that its accuracy is called into question even when information is correct.  It's too bad, for purposes of this discussion, that TV Guide isn't in a digital archive. At least I don't think it is. This first American magazine to list television schedules began in 1953 (and of course, it's still around--dramatically transformed), and for a while it was the most popular publication in the country--a coffee table staple  as the television industry began to boom! I'd bet there's ample proof in its weekly listings that  broadcast of this particular syndicated Christopher program happened across the country more than once over time. Thanks for setting the record straight!  Cheers, Lee Ann

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lee Ann: What particularly annoys me here is that Bessette starts out by saying in his interview with Perigo that Lanza admirer Clyde Smith had "indicated" to him that Lanza's appearance on the Christophers was never broadcast. Clearly, Bessette didn't bother to check if it was actually true or not. As he ought to know, assumptions are dangerous things---particularly when you're building a case for a mental disorder. But he proceeds to second-guess Father Keller's motives for supposedly not allowing the show to air, and by the end of this particular discussion, he's treating the claim that the program was canned as gospel. In fact, he even asks Perigo to explain why he thinks it didn't air! 

Later in his interview, Bessette derides (as "cultists," a favorite putdown of his) those who "form their version of what they accept as truth based on what they find convenient to their not-at-all-platonic concept of Mario Lanza." Well, he'd be the last person I'd accuse of harboring "not-at-all platonic" feelings toward Lanza, but if second-guessing poor old Father Keller to back up his own theory doesn't smack of convenience, then I don't know what does!

Cheers
Derek      

[Derek McGovern]

I can't let today go by without acknowledging the 92nd anniversary of my favourite singer's birth.

It staggers me how recently it seems that a group of us in New Zealand were celebrating what would have been Mario's sixtieth birthday. Lindsay Perigo was there, and I remember him teasing one of Lanza's ardent female admirers with the notion that if the man were still alive, he'd be wearing glasses and singing lieder :) 

Now it's 32 years later...

Anyway, to celebrate this day I'm going to play one of my favourite Lanza recordings: a lusty piece of singing that I feel truly represents the essence of the man (and it's not lieder!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcbn9QL9hjA

[Barnabas Nemeth]

I would say 93th rather tthan 92th. Agree, not is this main point but the legacy. Barnabas

2014-01-31 Derek McGovern <derek.m...@gmail.com>:

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[derek.mcgovern]

Well spotted, Barnabas! My excuse is that I still haven't got used to this being 2014 :)

By the way, this year Lanza friends/associates Licia Albanese, Tomiko Kanazawa and Terry Robinson will turn 101, 99 and 98, respectively.

(I'm assuming that Ms Kanazawa is still with us.)

Cheers,

Derek

[Barnabas Nemeth]

Is there anything about Terry (picture or news, ...)? Barnabas

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Barnabas: I seldom visit the Rense Lanza forum, where information regarding Terry Robinson is most likely to be found, but I'm not aware of any recent news about him. All I know is that he was still active at a health club well into in his 90s---and he certainly seemed fit as a fiddle at 89 on the 2005 documentary Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods.

I remember Robinson saying on a radio interview with Lindsay Perigo that his mother was still alive at 100, so he obviously has great genes in the longevity department.

Cheers,

Derek 

[Derek McGovern]

A trivia question! 

Who was the soprano who sang in the chorus accompanying Lanza on several of his recordings, and who occasionally provided the voice for on-screen actors who couldn't sing, but (ironically enough) when she was filmed in a musical scene with Lanza, she herself had to lip-synch to another soprano?

  

[Derek McGovern]

Since there seems to be a problem with getting this (second) page of the current Miscellaneous thread to load, I've decided to close the thread and open a fresh one.

But for those who can access this page, the answer to the latest trivia question above is Norma Zimmer aka The Champagne Lady. Her duet scene with Lanza in Serenade (in which she lip-synched to Jean Fenn's singing) was cut---presumably close to release time, as it's listed in at least one film reference book as appearing in the movie and was mentioned in most of Zimmer's obituaries in 2011.

Here's a photo of the deleted scene (from Act III of Puccini's La Boheme).

Cheers

Derek