Miscellaneous Lanza-Related Comments (October--December 2012)
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
I have always noticed that Mario consistently cleared his throat of phlegm before he sang. I have heard other tenors prepare for singing and they did not do this. Did Mario have a special condition that required this?. Was it just a habit? It really doesn't matter since what came out when he DID began singing was majestic; just curious if anyone else has noticed this.
Armando
Hi Joe: As Derek has correctly pointed out, Mario’s frequent clearing of his throat is consistent with anyone suffering from post-nasal drip. A tenor friend of mine who has the condition does exactly the same thing.
Muriel
Derek McGovern
Steff
“Backstage or tucked away in handbags: Ricola herb cough drops are indispensible for many top stars - The power of herbs for throat and voice"
Placido
Domingo, opera star
“Ricola – my secret
addiction! They taste great and are like gold dust for my voice. I enjoy
sucking the herb drops before a performance.”
Source: Schweizer Illustrierte, 10 October 2007
Cecilia
Bartoli, opera star
“Cecilia Bartoli, 43, pops a
Ricola herb drop in her mouth, drinks mineral water and is extremely chatty.”
Source: Migros Magazin, 14 September 2009
Steff
Steff
Armando
Hi Steff: Singers use all sorts of lozenges, pastilles, liquids etc. to lubricate the throat.
A lot has to do with nerves and tension which will dry up the throat so, usually, a sip of water will solve the problem.
There are extreme cases such as Corelli who was forever eating slices of apple during the pauses as well as sticking wet sponges in his mouth in order to keep the throat moist.
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
Barnabas Nemeth
George Laszlo
Steff
Derek McGovern
Steff
Steff
Maybe someone here is interested in watching “Alt Heidelberg,” on you tube (complete film from 1959, in German language).
It was shown on our local German TV station “SWR” in July, and someone put it on you-tube a little later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7wW_lQ_8lo
This is a German movie, produced by Arthur Brauner (CCC Berlin), who was to produce Mario’s next film after “For the First Time” (some of the scenes from “FTFT” were filmed at the CCC film studios).
“Alt Heidelberg” was released in West- Germany only few months after Mario had passed away, the release date: December 21, 1959.
The film was made at the CCC studios, but also at original locations (Heidelberg city). No film music of Romberg’s operetta was included (you may only recognize the traditional student song “Gaudeamus igitur” a few times) but German folk songs (Volkslieder) combined with music specially written for the film by the German composer Franz Grothe (who also composed for tenor Richard Tauber).
A lovely film, maybe something between the silent film version from the 1920s which starred Ramon Navarro. I see, it was also releases in Italy under the title “Sissi e il granduca” (Karl Heinrich became Carlo Enrico then, Kathie is Sissi)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052551/
Those, who might only be interested in the musical parts of the film, might go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-VWhWW-gAk
Unlike the 1954 “Student Prince,” the main characters in the German version have no singing parts.
Hope you enjoy!
Steff
leeann
Apparently this was a very early work of Glaswegian Andy Scott, who went on to create monumental public sculpture in other cities--most especially in Scotland. The story of how he came to work in Filignano must be really interesting. Best, Lee Ann
Steff
Hi Lee Ann,
Interesting thoughts …
The only bit of information I could find regarding Andy Scott and the Mario Lanza statue was this:
“He [Scotts] has undertaken commissions for a broad variety of clients world-wide, and many of his works are on public display throughout his native city, including the Ibrox Disaster Memorial, the Cairn at Blochairn, and the Athena at Yorkhill. For those Glaswegians with a Filignano connection, Andy also made a sculpture of Mario Lanza sited in the actor/singer’s home town in Italy.”
Incidentally, a great picture of the Mario Lanza statue in Filignano can be seen on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aldorindo47/3140352021/
The pedestal of the statue has the following inscription:
“A Mario Lanza - La voce del nostro paese che attraversò l’oceano”
(means: To Mario Lanza - the voice of our country that went across the ocean)
Steff
Steff
"[The statue in Filignano] was originally going to be done in marble, (not sure if it was going to be done by Andy Scott), the Sindaco at the time, Michele Rongine, and John Coia were the main people concerned with the project. Whilst Joan Ritti and I [Pam Latham] were in Filignano we were invited to a meeting with Michele and John and another person whose name I forget, to discuss setting up a fund for the project within the BMLS. What eventually transpired was that the statue turned out to be made in aluminium and modern, and a bronze head bust made with the money the BMLS donated (2000 euros). The bronze bust is now housed in John Coia's Mario Lanza Taverna in Collemachia."
The attached photos were sent to me by Pam Latham. Thank you Pam!
Steff
leeann
The Filignano work by Andy Scott, however, seems to be the only statue memorializing Lanza. (Well, I'm from Washington, D.C. In parts of town, it seems we have statues everywhere you look memorializing presidents, generals, events, wars, peace, politics, politicians, leaders and the population in general--you name it.)
Andy Scott's monumental public art is fascinating, I think (here's information about his current work, The Kelpies), and I wanted to know more about how the Lanza statue in Filignano fit into his artistic evolution and vision. He was kind enough to answer some questions via email about his experiences in Filignano creating the Lanza statue ten years ago. What wonderful memories! Some excerpts of his response are below. Best, Lee Ann
has strong links with the Glasgow area, many folks from the town moved to
Glasgow and west of Scotland decades ago and now there is a cultural
Scottish connection in the town.
I was enticed to participate as a residency of sorts, and the thought of
spending a few weeks in the Italian mountains creating a sculpture won me
over. The actual event was very challenging....
materials, studio, even electricity failed to materialise
despite the best efforts of Mr Coia [n.b.who had initiated the Scottish-Italian cultural exchange
that brought Scott to Filignano]
and the town people, and in the end I
ended up creating the artwork with next to no tools, a borrowed and
unreliable welder, with variable electricity supply, on the access ramp of a
local building... working outdoors in the summer sun welding a sculpture in
those circumstances is, er, challenging. ...
all I can say is I did my best.
...I simply did my best to render a reasonable likeness of the man using a steel
welding technique. In the end I can say I captured his posture as best I
could and a linear approximation of his face. The local people seem very
happy with the result and they even remodelled the traffic roundabout
specifically for the sculpture once it was completed...
In fact I had a wonderful time in Filignano. Stressful sure with
the sculpture, but the hospitality of the people, their appreciation of my
efforts and the beauty of the environs made it all worthwhile...
One of my strongest memories of the experience was a local little old lady
who would watch this mad Scotsman bending steel bars in the mid-day sun from
her shady balcony which overlooked my impromptu studio All I could do was
nod and say hello (and carry on sweating). Anyway after a few days of this,
two little kids arrived with an icy cold beer at one o-clock, and told me in
their best schoolkid English that this drink was from their grandmother.
And every day from then on, at one o'clock, a cold beer arrived to help me
make it through.
It was one of the first pieces I undertook in that linear technique. Others
include the series of six display figures I created for Kelvingrove Art
Galleries here in Glasgow, and one of the pieces in Alloa. As you will have
noticed my technique has evolved and now concentrates more on the form and
mass of the pieces rather than a three dimensional linear drawing approach.
Mario Lanza was a straightforward undertaking, to create a proud little monument to a great
popular entertainer of a passed era in his ancestral home...
Derek McGovern
Armando
Hi all: I saw the statue by Andy Scott a month ago when I visited Filignano and the nearby Collemacchia. Due to its structure it’s a most unusual work but nevertheless quite striking, particularly when viewed from different angles. The chosen location, however, could have been better. The statue is located at a roundabout which is not exactly in the center of the town. It would have been better placed near the main square with its adjacent Church and Town Hall.
Derek: Filignano, is a very picturesque and beautiful little
town and since the majority of its few inhabitants is of Scottish origin--they all speak English!
Ciao
Armando
Michael McAdam
leeann
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
Filignano town centre:
leeann
Steff, thank you as well for the photos Derek's put up on the website. They're wonderful additions. Best, Lee Ann
Armando
Hi Lee Ann: The museum is located in Collemacchia, a distance of just over a kilometre from Filignano. It’s in a room in a building owned by John Coia, in close proximity to the home he lives in. It was John’s idea to start the museum and use the room accordingly. By his own admission it’s a fairly modest affair in terms of the material and memorabilia on display, nevertheless it’s an admirable undertaking on his part and one we should be thankful for.
John, by the way, is a wonderful host, after inviting my wife and I to an excellent lunch cooked by his wife, Paula, he insisted we stay for dinner and spend the night in an adjacent unit he owns, we gladly accepted and I ended up sharing a whole bottle of a superb whiskey with John and feeling slightly worse for wear on the journey back to Rome the following day!
Ciao,
Armando
Derek McGovern
Steff
Just because Mario Lanza is mentioned …..
Andrea Bocelli 'Opera' Release In November
http://www.entertainment-focus.com/news/andrea-bocelli-opera-release-in-november
“... And the album starts where it all began for Bocelli.
"My first memory of opera is hearing the voice of Mario Lanza," he reminisces, "He used to sing La donna è mobile, from Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi. What can I say? It was love at first sight, or should I say, at first listen."
Just an interesting observation:
Bocelli did not mention Mario Lanza at all in his autobiography “The Music of Silence,” and in “Andrea Bocelli – A Celebration” by Antonia Felix he was quoted with: “My mother told me that as a baby, whenever I heard classical music I stopped crying….I think that the first record I heard was just opera – maybe it was Mario Lanza - and my mother told me that I was really impressed with these great voices.”
Steff
Steff
Armando
Hi Steff: The Mostra certainly looks interesting. We only went to Filignano for the day, but had I known about the exhibition you pointed out we probably would have gone to Campobasso as well although it’s over 70 kilometers away. We also toyed with the idea of going to Tocco da Casauria--perhaps next time.
Ciao
Armando
Steff
This newspaper snippet caught my attention the other day:
CALIF. HONORS LANZA
Mario Lanza has been honored by the Music Trades Association of Southern California as “the greatest voice of the century” for his singing in “Serenade.”
(from the “Boston Daily Record,” May 17, 1956)
Has anybody ever heard of this honor?
Is it just pure coincidence that this is what Toscanini reportedly remarked about Mario Lanza - the “greatest voice of the century”? Is there any connection?
Steff
leeann
Derek McGovern
Steff
We will pose and attempt to answer several questions: What were the reasons for Lanza's extraordinary success? Was he truly a great operatic tenor? Was his voice manufactured by Hollywood, and was Hollywood responsible for his success and demise? How did the Mafia become involved with Lanza, and was he murdered by the mob at the age of 38? And, lastly, how does his voice compare with the great singers of our time?
Film-clips from Lanza’s films and recordings of the singer will be used to survey this extraordinary and tragically short life."
For more details, go to
http://www.sfu.ca/continuing-studies/courses/scfc/2013/01/mario-lanza.html
Steff
Steff
As an aside note, in 1954 Doris Day too, had been honored by this association:
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
Michael McAdam
Derek McGovern
Michael McAdam
Derek McGovern
Steff
Here’s a piece of German football (soccer!) history
with a little Mario at the end of the story.
Yet, I could not figure out how the East German reporter got the idea to make
such a comparison. Maybe it takes a football aficionado to understand.
However, enjoy!
Steff
This is an excerpt from an issue from 2008, published by the “Friedrich Naumann Stiftung,” “Für die Freiheit:”
“Football and political freedom: the historical experience of divided Germany” by Jutta Braun.
The friendly match to be played between 1.FC Kaiserslautern and SC Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt on 6 October 1956 was sensationalised by the East German press as “The Great Football Battle”. This attention-grabbing football event was to be held on the evening of 6 October 1949 to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of East Germany the following day. The spectacular game was also intended to inaugurate the recently built Central Stadium (Zentralstadion) in Leipzig.
The match between the two clubs was a meeting of the two undisputed football giants from East and West Germany. Fritz and Ottmar Walter, Werner Liebrich, Werner Kohlmeyer and Horst Eckel, the five living “heroes of Berne”, travelled with the team from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate to Leipzig, the trade fair city. Football fever was spreading. The overwhelming demand for 400,000 tickets far exceeded the number of tickets available; most of the tickets were distributed directly via state run businesses mainly to “deserving” party comrades. Diehard football fans held a night-long vigil in front of the ticket counters, standing room tickets were sold twice over, and so for the much awaited high-profile game the “hundred-thousand stadium” was transformed briefly into an arena for 110,000. The organisers had to survive a moment of panic when Fritz Walter missed the inter-zone train on his way to the match, but managed to reach the venue on time in a police car with a blue light. East German sports journalists also had cause for worry—a match between
the cities of Berlin and Moscow, scheduled for the afternoon of 6 October in the East German capital, was to end just under an hour before the whistle went in Leipzig. In the editing rooms of East Berlin’s Sportecho, reporters were “weighing, assessing, pondering” the options of how to make it from one venue to the other on time. “We need a plane!” Indeed, shortly after the match in East Berlin had ended, Nikolai Snekow, the Russian Lufthansa pilot, turned on the engines of his aircraft and 33 minutes later the frantic reporters were in Leipzig.Their arrival was soon followed by the thunderous applause that greeted the two teams as they
entered the stadium for 90 unforgettable minutes in German football history. On the field the in-form ‘red devils’ fought against the East German champions who also boasted five national players in their ranks and were playing brilliantly. The leather ball resembled a white dot, bouncing back and forth. As the floodlighting was inadequate, it had been painted with
white oil paint. All those who witnessed the match will never forget the thirtysecond minute with the score at 3:1. As a corner kick from the right sailed into the Wismut penalty area, the then 36-year-old Fritz Walter dived forward and hit the ball back-heel at full stretch. The
spectators watched with bated breath. The ball landed right on target in the upper corner of the net. This back-heel strike was to go down in sports history books as the “goal of the century”. Heinz-Florian Oertel, an East German reporter otherwise loyal to the party line, was so taken by the West German team that his metaphors strayed into the realm of Italian opera: Fritz Walter was a “Mario Lanza”, the “first tenor in German football” (printed in “Fußballwoche, 9 Oct. 1956)
The team from Rhineland-Palatinate won 5:3 to public euphoria. The all German football festival culminated in a farewell banquet at the Hotel Astoria.
Steff
This day in history: 60 years ago … Another “Diamond Jubilee” for Britain in 2012:
On Nov.14, 1952, the very first British Music Charts were published in the “New Musical Express.”
Excerpt from:
“Why I’m singing praises of those old chart-toppers”
by Dan O’Neill from the “South Wales Echo:
“WELL folks, it’s 60 years to the day since the first UK singles chart appeared and there at number one on November 14, 1952, fresh from his screen triumph as The Great Caruso, was Mario Lanza with Here In My Heart. And at number two we heard the peerless Jo Stafford singing – hang on, someone’s shouting at me.
Voice from back of hall: “Yeah, me. Wotchoo mean, Mario Lanza singing Yer In Me ’Eart? It was Al...”
Quick flick through old files. And blimey, he’s right. It was Al Martino. But it could have been Mario grabbing that first number one if he hadn’t decided to give young Al a break. He’d backed his fellow Italian-American’s showbiz start and was ready to record the song himself when Al appealed to him.
“Mario, baby,” he said. “Do me a favour, per favore. If you sing it, who’ll listen to me?” So Mario recorded Because You’re Mine instead and finished at number 11. What else could Al say but “Grazie, amico mio.”
Complete article on
Steff
leeann
SIGHTINGS. What a surprise for me, and excuse me if it's old news I've missed among Google Alerts.
There's a fabulous show on BBC Two, now in it's second season, "The Hour." I think video services might characterize it as "gritty, fast-paced drama." It's awfully well-written and well-acted with Ramola Garai, Dominic West and Ben Whishaw, among others and takes place in the 1950s in the BBC newsroom. Well, the first episode of this season takes place in November 1957, and yes, amid backstories of the nuclear arms race, British immigration, crime,and other hard-hitting themes, the news of Mario Lanza's arrival in London hits the air.
Perhaps better still, as one character stands in her apartment watching television, we hear (and see bits) excerpts from "Sunday Night at the London Palladium" as Lanza says hello to his audience and as he sings "E Lucevan le stelle."
Quite worth a doubletake! Best, Lee Ann
leeann
Derek McGovern
leeann
I don't know how to tell people to access it, truthfully--we all seem to have to find our own backdoors into international streaming video, depending on where we live. The one I happen to use (among many possibilities, I'm sure) is TunnelBear which reroutes my US internet address to Europe and abracadabra (pre-Harry Potter magical spell)--I'm in. So, I'm sorry, that's probably no help at all. Best, Lee Ann
George Laszlo
In the USA, The Hour is now available on the BBC-A channel. Unfortunately, I missed the first episode of the new season. But, I think it's possible to buy the DVD's at some point. Another possibility is the ON DEMAND function of most cable providers. I have not tried this yet.
George Laszlo
Derek McGovern
Mario Lanza sang popular music more convincingly than any "opera singer" I can think of. If there is any substance to this opinion, it may tell us far more about the man behind the legend than so simple an observation would suggest.
Derek McGovern
Derek McGovern
I may have lucked out right on the BBC America web site. They have the first episode broken out into roughly 10 minute segments. The first mention of Mario Lanza is roughly after the 4:30 minute mark. Here is the link that I'm using here in the USA:http://www.bbcamerica.com/the-hour/videos/
George Laszlo
George Laszlo
Steff
Derek McGovern
leeann
As far as misnaming files--gosh, it happens all the time. Librarians and archivists can only work with what they're given, and they are usually understaffed and underpaid. But that's part of the miracle of the digital age--when it's possible to get materials online, it becomes possible to find out more about them and to correct information too. One of the places I like the most that does that is Flickr Commons where large and small museums and art galleries throughout the world put materials online that are not copyrighted with the hope that people will comment and help to identify items they have and know little about. And people do! Interesting stuff.
Again, thanks so much! LeeAnn
jora...@gmail.com
On Monday, October 1, 2012 9:38:34 PM UTC-4, Derek McGovern wrote:
Please use this thread for any general posts related (vaguely or otherwise) to Mario Lanza that you feel don't warrant their own separate discussion. For general posts not related to Lanza, please use the current Off-Topic Chat Thread instead.
Steff
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 to all of you here!
Around “Silvester,” as we call December 31 here in Germany, we have been enjoying some top class concerts on TV.
First there was a concert from the Dresden Opera with Piotr Beczala (what an incredible enrichment this Polish tenor is for the world of music, what a voice and what a great personality, and just perfect for operetta music). He was joined by the Austrian soprano Ingeborg Schöpf, who had stepped in at short notice for Diana Damrau who had to cancel due to illness. Christian Thieleman was conducting.
Then, last night, they aired a "Silvester" concert live from the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden with Rolando Villazon, Thomas Hampson and the young Russian soprano Olga Peretyako (very impressive!) and I noticed how enthusiastically the Baden-Baden audience celebrated the three singers. Andrés Orozco-Estrada was conducting.
And right know there’s just a live broadcast of the “Neujahrskonzert”/New Year’s concert of the “Wiener Philharmoniker at the “Musikvereinsaal” in Vienna (It is broadcast live all over the world – same procedure as every year!)
Ah, and I do not want forget to mention that last night, one hour before midnight, a concert of Max Raabe and his Palastorchester started, which had taken place in 2009 at the “Berliner Admiralspalast.” It was titled “Max: Raabe: Jetzt oder Nie” (Remember this is a song by Mischa Spoliansky which Mario Lanza recorded in English language under the title “Tell Me Tonight” ). The concert lasted about two hours and featured songs of the 1920s and 1930s. One of the last songs that Max Raabe was singing – and the new year 2013 was not yet one hour old – was “Cosi, Cosa.” Max Raabe introduced it as follows (and maybe some of you are already aware of what he said at that concert – maybe he also did mention this at other concert venues???)
“Mit dem nun folgenden Stück, meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren, möchten wir uns von Ihnen verabschieden…..Niemand bedauert das mehr als wir.
Diese Stück entstand 1935 für den MGM Tonfilm „A Night at the Opera“ Es wurde ein regelrechtes Tenorlied. Viele Tenöre dieser Zeit sangen es. Sogar der berühmte Tenor Mario Lanza hatte dieses Stück in seinem Repertoire. Nun, ich bin kein Tenor, aber eins ist sicher, Mario Lanza wird dieses Stück heute Abend nicht singen.“
„With the following song, Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to say goodbye to you … Nobody is regretting this more than we ourselves …
This song was composed in 1935 for the MGM sound film “A Night at the Opera.” It really became a song for tenors. Many tenors of that era sang it. Even the famous tenor Mario Lanza had this song in his repertoire.
Well, I am no tenor, but one thing is certain: Mario Lanza is not going to sing this song tonight!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOssL8tPNIg
Well, again a Happy New Year to all of you here!
Steff
Barnabas Nemeth
leeann
Just a little notification: BBC Radio Two is rebroadcasting "The Mario Lanza Story, Episode One" on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 8pm (British time!). Many people commented on the program on a forum thread after its first programming on the 50th anniversary of Lanza's death in 2009. Episode Two will broadcast on October 23, also at 8pm. BBC Radio Two offers streaming programming, and London time is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time in the US.(I'd better leave others to do their own math :-)) Cheers, Lee Ann
Steff
From:
http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/articles/2012/12/31/entertainment/doc50de264de56ef347305203.txt
Radio Voice Italia set to broadcast from Ristorante La Locanda
New for the
new year is Radio Voice Italia, a weekly three hour live talk radio show
broadcast on the internet, which will be originating from Ristorante La Locanda
in Newtown Square, every Wednesday, starting Jan. 9.
The intent is to promote a greater awareness of the Italian culture both past
and present. The talk show will feature innovative and eclectic dance music
direct from Italy. There will also be guest speakers of Italian descent who
have been successful in the entertainment and business fields and in various
other notable endeavors. The debut broadcast guest is the legendary/iconic
performer Charlie Gracie.
The format will feature a weekly segment devoted to Mario Lanza and his music.
Lanza’s tenor continues to inspire singers and the public long after his
untimely death […]
The radio
show will broadcast every Wednesday, starting Jan. 9 from 7 -10 p.m.
It can be heard live on internet radio at radiovoiceitaliausa.com. […]
Steff