Miscellaneous Lanza-related comments

[Derek McGovern]

I stumbled upon some clips on YouTube from For the First Time today.
The difference is that these are dubbed into German! Although it's
obviously not Lanza providing the speaking voice for his character,
it's definitely Johanna Von Koczian doing her own German dubbing.
Quite interesting, really. This must be the original version of the
film, which was first released in West Germany on February 26, 1959 --
exactly six months before its US release.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id4D4JFZijI&feature=rec-HM-rn

The picture quality (especially in HQ, or high quality, mode) is
excellent.

[Heidi]

Hi Derek
Yes you are right, it is the original german -picture.I love it and my
copy of it is still in good quality. Cheers Heidi

[Derek McGovern]

Hello Heidi: Good to hear from you!

I was just thinking: Johanna von Koczian's autobiography should be out
soon. (Remember that she declined to be interviewed for Mark Kidel's
BBC documentary in 2005, as she said at the time that she would save
her comments on Lanza for her forthcoming autobiography.) It'll
certainly be interesting to read what she has to say about Mario.
She's always been very nice about him in the past.

I like the cast in For the First Time, particularly Johanna and the
man who played her uncle in the film, Hans Sohnker (a very good actor,
I thought).

[Derek McGovern]

Tenor Roberto Alagna makes this surprising claim in an interview
published in The Guardian today:

Interviewer: Is there anything you regret?

Alagna: Being too cautious. When I was 18, I was offered the part of
the young Mario Lanza in a Hollywood movie; the older Mario Lanza was
to be played by José Carreras. I said no because I was too shy.

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/oct/12/roberto-alagna-tenor

This story is news to me! The period Alagna's referring to is around
1975. But surely Carreras would have mentioned it in his
autobiography? And why would a Catalan with limited English (at the
time) portray an American in a Hollywood movie?

[Derek McGovern]

There's an ongoing Lanza discussion thread at grandi-tenori.com that
you may find interesting:

http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047

[fish]

Hi Derek, I hope I'm at the right spot. I'm interested to know if
there are any recordings of all members of The Bel Canto Trio singing
together? I have heard Mario singing with Francis Yeend but have not
heard any trio songs. Thanks Anita

[Derek McGovern]

Anita: The only known recording of the Bel Canto Trio together is the
extract from Act IV of La Boheme, sung in English. There are two other
singers featured on this recording as well. You'll find it near the
bottom of our Photos & Recordings section.

[Anita Letkeman]

Sorry to be such a nuisance but as I may have mentioned before when I have tried to listen to some of the recordings it appears to download but the little button scoots right across instantly with out any sound when I press it to play, most unfortunate. I wonder why my computer won't play them because I remember last time you checked after I'd told you and you said it worked well for you. A

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[Derek McGovern]

It still plays at my end; is anybody else here having difficulty
listening to these recordings? All you should need is Real Player, I
would have thought.

Here's an external link to the Act IV extract:

http://www.4shared.com/file/141883243/d1d4978f/Act_IV_of_La_Boheme.html

And while I'm at it, I might as well give you the link to Mario
talking in Italian with his wife and children shortly before he died.
(This is also in our Recordings section.)

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80545959/1bf629ef/RAI_Radio_--_La_Mia_Vita_per_il_Canto__broadcast_October_1959_.html

[Anita Letkeman]

Thank you.

----- Original Message ----
From: Derek McGovern <derek.m...@gmail.com>
To: "Mario Lanza, Tenor" <mario...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Mon, 19 October, 2009 7:24:43 PM
Subject: Re: A Lanza Miscellany

http://www.4shared.com/file/141883243/d1d4978f/Act_IV_of_La_Boheme.html

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80545959/1bf629ef/RAI_Radio_--_La_Mia_Vita_per_il_Canto__broadcast_October_1959_.html

[Maria Luísa]

This was to have gone already in one of the many times when you gave
us links to listen to the unforgettable links of Mario's singing. Let
see if these notes can be comprised in this thread. I think they do.
There are at least three things for which you ought to be
congratulated over and over again and God knows there are plenty of
others equally noble:
1st - The extremely well displayed subjects in this Forum. Here we may
find all we may want to know and read about respecting Mario and his
music, his singing and eventually his own life.
2nd - The beautiful lyrics you keep transcribing, fortunately to all
of us who love to listen to but also understand what exactly Mario is
singing and/or saying.
3rd - Last but not least the profusion of precious links (of which I
already gave you my congratulations) you supply us with. Strictly
speaking for myself I'll never thank you enough.

Not forgetting (how could I?) the gorgeous photos of beautiful Mario.
And of course your distinguished essays. If not for all the rest, just
for these: Thank you.

.............
I had already heard more than one time this joyful conversation
between Mario and his family in Youtube. It's always a blessing
listening to that beautiful speaking voice and the (apparent) joy we
may detect on it. However is it possible, when he was giving that
interview (let us not forget that this was recorded in October 59),
that he knew he was near the end of his life? He was very intelligent,
I think he did.

............
Vince - Wonderful to listen to your grandma lovely singing voice. I
heard all the three recordings now and yesterday the link you left
before. Now we can see from whom you inherit your beautiful singing
voice.

> http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80545959/1bf629ef/RAI_Radio_--_La...

[leeann]

Hello, Anita. I've experienced that scooting problem, too when I'm
using the Firefox browser on both a Mac and a PC, but not when I'm
using Internet Explorer. The files open as Quicktime files, and
here's a solution that's worked for me. You need to download the file
rather than play it online.

1)go ahead and click on the link and in the window where it shows up,
go to the upper lefthand corner of your nav bar and choose file
2)Scroll down and choose Save link as or Save as, and just download it
to your desktop
3)Then click on it to play.

It SHOULD open in whatever media player you have: Windows Media, Real
Player, iTunes without a problem.

Hope that works. They're just beautiful, and Agnus Dei is one of my
favorites. Best, Lee Ann

[fish]

Thank you very much Lee Ann. I will try that. It's fine when I go to
the 4 Shared site when Derek has been kind enough to put it there. I
tried to get the "Life with Luigi" but apparently it's not there
anymore, which is a shame but I guess they only stay on those sites
for a limited amount of time. Thanks again, I like the Agnus Dei
also. Anita

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Anita: Here's a link that should work for Lanza's appearance on the
Life with Luigi Show:

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80544759/a9d46380/J_Carroll_Naish__Lanza_--_Life_with_Luigi_radio_show__Nov_1949_.html

> > favorites.  Best, Lee Ann- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Derek McGovern]

On Oct 20, 1:21 pm, leeann <leeanngha...@gmail.com> wrote:

 >They're just beautiful, and Agnus Dei is one of my favorites.  Best,
Lee Ann

Hi Lee Ann: Thanks for taking the trouble to provide those technical
tips; you saved me quite a lot of time! And I couldn't agree with you
more about Mario's Agnus Dei. The audio copy that's on our website is
the best-reproduced version I've heard, and Lanza's in thrilling,
radiant voice here.

[fish]

Dear Derek, You are a prince! Thank you so much for making the "Life
with Luigi show" available . It's a gem. He is so entertaining and
Mario sounds very good too.

Dear Lee Ann, I did as you suggested and used Internet Explorer and
was able to hear the Toronto concert "Vesti La Guibba". Again thank
you for your help. Anita

On Oct 20, 9:16 pm, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Anita: Here's a link that should work for Lanza's appearance on the
> Life with Luigi Show:
>

> http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80544759/a9d46380/J_Carroll_Naish...

[Mike McAdam]

Anita is such a lovely name for a girl. Could you lose the 'fish'
moniker? No offense meant, it's just a little baffling that's all. I'm
a fly-fisherman by the way and I'm sure you're a lot prettier than
those critters I release back into the current :-)
Cheers, Mike

> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[fish]

Hi Mike, I tried to get rid of "Fish" after Derek suggested it but it
didn't work. I don't know what I did wrong!

Derek, I agree with you about "With a song in my heart". When I first
heard it I couldn't believe how bad it was!! (in my opinion). The
only good part is the spoken introduction. As far as I can hear there
is not a single line of lovely singing. Twice he puts in a "M' after
a word (just a song at the start M, can I help but rejoice M). Then
he has two wobbly moments ( and, rejoice). Most of the rest of it
sounds forced and the worst bit is the last line. However, most
probably that's because I prefer his more classical songs and when he
sings effortlessly.

[fish]

Derek, I have been reading previous discussions and find them very
interesting. Today I read Callinicos' book online and was surprised
to see that about ten pages are missing (168-179 I think). Do you
know why they are missing?

On Oct 21, 10:55 pm, Mike McAdam <macadame...@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:

[Derek McGovern]

Anita: I don't have the Callinicos book handy, but it wouldn't
surprise me if those missing ten pages are the photo section.

To change your name as it appears on the forum, simply go to our main
page, click on "Edit my membership," and you'll see a question asking:
"What nickname do you want people in this group to see?" Then type in
"Anita" (for example) and then click on "Save my settings." That's it!

[Armando]

Anita: The missing pages you refer to are part of a chapter called
“the Blackest Years" which, just as the title implies, deals with
Lanza’s bouts of depression, overeating, and drinking. It may have
been omitted for copyright reasons

[Anita]

Thank you Armando for that. It seems strange to have copyright on
that one chapter when in previous chapters it has already been
discussing the depression, drinking etc. a lot. I would rather have
read about what he was like when he wasn't depressed, how he did
things with his children, what he painted (I paint so I'm interested
to see pictures of his paintings if they exist), how he helped others,
his sense of humour etc. Sometimes when I listen to some of his songs
it sounds as though he was having fun singing them.

Derek the photos are included. Thank you.

[leeann]

Hi, Anita. If you WANT to read the entire Callinicos/Robinson take on
the Lanza story, it's online in its entirety on the internet archive
and it's also available as a PDF.

http://www.archive.org/details/mariolanzastory009166mbp


Best, Lee Ann

[Anita Letkeman]

Thank you Lee Ann, You're very kind. I went to the site and the story is exactly like the one on the Google site, nothing extra. The only difference is that on the Google site you can see where the pages are missing and somehow on the other one they've made it look as though nothing is missing. A

----- Original Message ----
From: leeann <leeann...@gmail.com>
To: "Mario Lanza, Tenor" <mario...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thu, 22 October, 2009 12:57:20 PM
Subject: Re: A Lanza Miscellany

http://www.archive.org/details/mariolanzastory009166mbp

Best, Lee Ann

[leeann]

Hi, everyone. I just went up to Philadelphia for a conference and
took some extra time to sightsee--it's a new city for
me. While I was there I took some photos of the Lanza, Sinatra, and
Guarrero wall murals. They're all within about two blocks of each
other as you come into the city from the south.

I didn't know if it would be useful to post them--especially since I
imagine most list members are familiar with the Lanza mural, but Derek
said go ahead. So there you are. I've uploaded them on Flickr here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeanncafferata/sets/72157622652821972/

The Philadelphia mural program itself is fascinating. It began about
25 years ago, and now more than 3,000 murals are
spread across the city. As you can see, Lanza, Guarrero and Sinatra
beautify parking lots and bare corners, and they're just great in
their color and diversity. Best, Leeann

[Anita]

Great Pictures Leeann. I was in Philadelphia in 1971 and didn't see
anythinh like that.

It being such a dull, wet afternoon here I've been browsing the
internet and came across Warren Moulton's web page. I must confess to
never having heard of him before. He has written an article about
Mario Lanza, which I thought was fair and it's found in a section
called "Dead Tenors Society"..
http://www.warniesworld.net/welcome.htm
Then I went to You Tube to see if there are any videos of him. There
is one where he is singing with two other tenors in a salute to
Pavarotti. I thought it was very good. They all sound good and they
are entertaining. It looks as though it would have been a "fun"
concert to attend.

[Anita]

Does anyone know anything about the planned Mario Lanza movie which
Cassandra Riddle and Richard Margison made recordings for? Did they
scrap this movie or is it still being made?

On Oct 25, 3:14 pm, Anita <drizu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Great Pictures Leeann.  I was in Philadelphia in 1971 and didn't see
> anythinh like that.
>
> It being such a dull, wet afternoon here I've been browsing the
> internet and came across Warren Moulton's web page.  I must confess to
> never having heard of him before.  He has written an article about
> Mario Lanza, which I thought was fair and it's found in a section

> called "Dead Tenors Society"..http://www.warniesworld.net/welcome.htm

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Anita: The project was aborted (mercifully, as it turns out, since
it was going to implicate the Mafia in Mario's death!) after one of
the producers scuttled off with some of the investors' funds.

> > > their color and diversity.  Best, Leeann- Hide quoted text -

[Mike McAdam]

Yesterday, I happened to hear "the pride of Dawson Creek", Ben Heppner
sing 'Roses Of Picardy'. The program on CBC Radio 2 was a run-up to
Remembrance Day a few days hence. I was surprised that our gifted
Canadian tenor sang to the identical arrangement that Lanza's immortal
(to me) radio show version employed. Heppner, however, took an octave
lower note at the end.
He did a creditable job on the song but....like every tenor I hear who
covers Lanza songs....no excitement (sorry, Ben). Other singers
consistently lack that visceral, emotional quality that Mario Lanza
imbued his English-language songs with.
Just my opinion. Mike

On Oct 13, 5:25 am, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Tenor Roberto Alagna makes this surprising claim in an interview
> published in The Guardian today:
>
> Interviewer: Is there anything you regret?
>
> Alagna: Being too cautious. When I was 18, I was offered the part of
> the young Mario Lanza in a Hollywood movie; the older Mario Lanza was
> to be played by José Carreras. I said no because I was too shy.
>
> Fromhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/oct/12/roberto-alagna-tenor
>
> This story is news to me! The period Alagna's referring to is around
> 1975. But surely Carreras would have mentioned it in his
> autobiography? And why would a Catalan with limited English (at the
> time) portray an American in a Hollywood movie?

[Anita]

Does anyone have any information on how Mario prepared his songs? The
artistry of his interpretation of lyrics I think is superbly evident
in "None But The Lonely Heart". Every word is imbued with feeling. I
think it shows that he really thought about each word he sang in this
song. It's so poignant. What a sensitive man he must have been in
order to be able to deliver this song in this way. What other songs
can people think of that show this attention to detail?

[Derek McGovern]

Anita: I think the best answer to your question is simply to repeat
the point that Edmund Purdom made in 1974: that he always felt that
Lanza (like the soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf) always learned the
*poem* first, extracting the maximum meaning from it, before singing
anything. Plus, of course, the fact that he was an extraordinarily
sensitive person. I think that gets overlooked a great deal. Whatever
faults he had, he was a deeply feeling individual, with an incredible
empathy for his fellow human beings. No one can sing the Student
Prince Serenade the way he does and not have the soul of a poet.

As Doretta Morrow's character in Because You're Mine comments after
his rendition of The Lord's Prayer, "He must be something pretty
wonderful inside to sing like that."

> > > time) portray an American in a Hollywood movie?- Hide quoted text -

[Derek McGovern]

Since Christmas is just round the corner, I thought I'd repost a link
for Mario's beautiful Coke version of Silent Night for those of you
who haven't heard it:

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/70230017/d628f455/Silent_Night__Coke_.html

I guess this version is unlikely to find its way on to any SonyBMG
compilation, but it's certainly my favourite of Lanza's renditions of
traditional Christmas carols.

[zsazsa]

Yes Derek, just magnificen! Thank you so very much! This will be the
highpoint of our Xmas celebration
The coloration of his voice, the deep feeling and emotion and the
fantastic diction! It is really a treasure of music history! Thank
you!
Best as always from Susan

On 27 Nov., 20:55, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Since Christmas is just round the corner, I thought I'd repost a link
> for Mario's beautiful Coke version of Silent Night for those of you
> who haven't heard it:
>

> http://www.4shared.com/account/file/70230017/d628f455/Silent_Night__C...

[Vince Di Placido]

Derek, thank you for the link to the Coke "Silent Night", It is
absolutely Mario's best traditional Christmas carol recording, so
beautifully phrased & sung, he was in great form that day!
I just played it 3 times, I really needed it at the time to calm me
down & make me feel good! Thanks! :-)

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince and Susan: Glad you enjoyed the Coke Silent Night! It *is*
wonderful, and, as you say, beautifully phrased. Definitely Mario's
best version (though the 1951 version's not too far behind). I'm
pretty sure it was running just a tad slow, though; maybe young Mike
will check it out for us?

On Dec 1, 6:58 am, Vince Di Placido <vincent.diplac...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Mike McAdam]

Actually Derek, though the tempo on the Coca-Cola outing is noticeably
slower than on the LP (RCA) version, the pitch in both recordings is
spot-on. They're both sung in D-major.
Cheers,
young Mike

> > down & make me feel good! Thanks! :-)- Hide quoted text -

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks for checking, Mike. When he gets to "Sleep in heavenly peace,"
I could have sworn there was a slight "drag", but my ears were
obviously deceiving me.

Interesting that you brought up the slow tempo on this Coke version.
It certainly enhances the recording, drawing out the most beautiful
even line from dear old Mario. It's a rare day indeed that Lanza's RCA
version of a song is actually faster than his Coke version. (Pity some
of the Coke arias weren't taken more slowly; think of that galloping
Che Gelida!)

Cheers
Derek

[Derek McGovern]

A nice little piece about a dedicated Lanza fan from today's Columbus
(Ohio) Dispatch:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/arts/stories/2009/12/11/1A_LANZA.ART_ART_12-11-09_D1_SSFUC82.html?sid=101

Good to see Armando's book among this woman's Lanza memorabilia in the
accompanying photo!

[Lou]

Hi Derek: Though I'm a relative Johnny come lately to Lanza fandom, I
can relate to septuagenarian Sandy Davis' lifelong fascination with
Mario Lanza. I wish, however, that the owner of those Lanza
memorabilia were a couple of generations younger. That would have
augured better for the perpetuation of Mario Lanza's legacy.

Armando's book in the photo looks like the first edition. Speaking of
which, I finally got my copy of the second edition. A vacationing
friend from New York hand-carried it, saving me the $101 shipping
charge quoted by Baskerville Publishers. Did I just imagine it, or
didn't someone say that this edition contains a painting or drawing of
Mario by Armando? It's nowhere to be found in my copy.

Cheers,
Lou

On Dec 12, 5:26 pm, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> A nice little piece about a dedicated Lanza fan from today's Columbus
> (Ohio) Dispatch:
>

> http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/arts/stories/2009/12/11/1A_LANZA...

[Armando]

On Dec 14, 12:24 am, Lou <louab...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Did I just imagine it, or
> didn't someone say that this edition contains a painting or drawing of
> Mario by Armando? It's nowhere to be found in my copy.

Hi Lou: The drawing is on the very last page of the photos section –
before page 269.

[Lou]

Thanks, Armando. Actually I did see that drawing before, but I thought
it was a real-life photo. Sorry I missed your name on it. What an
amazing likeness to the photo on the book jacket!

[zsazsa]

He Derek,
there is a beautiful artichle of the Columbus Dispatch about the Mario
Lanza Tribut Concert on the 12th Dec. and I`m sure that you`ll like
also to read it. Wonderful to hear what a great success it was. The
link is here:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local...olumbus_review.html
Cheers Susan

On 17 Okt., 13:08, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> There's an ongoing Lanza discussion thread at grandi-tenori.com that
> you may find interesting:
>
> http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047

[Tonytenor]

As I sit here at work listening to music of the holiday season I am
struck by the fact that there are so very many wonderful Christmas and
spiritual songs that Mario did NOT record. It is a shame indeed. But
just for fun, here is a quite incomplete list of songs that I think
Mario would have done beautifully:
1. Gesu Bambino
2. The Holy City
3. Agnus Dei (studio not LIVE)
4. Pieta Signore (studio and with the bridge which Lanza omits in the
RAH performance)
5. In The Bleak Midwinter
6. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
7. Tu scende dalle stelle
8.I'll Be Home For Christmas (this is where Mario would use his "They
Didn't Believe Me" voice)
9. O Holy Night (in Frence and English and NOT at breakneck speed with
an arrangement on steroids!)
10.Vergin tutto amore
11. Arias from MESSIAH
- Comfort ye
-Every Valley
- He was despised
(I have a feeling that some folks might not see - or hear - Mario
doing Handel's MESSIAH. To those who doubt a voice of Mario's weight
and size could pull it off I commend you to the RCA recording of
MESSIAH with Jon Vickers as the tenor soloist. Once you've heard him,
you have a whole different perspective on this classic work AND the
tenor part.)
12. Angels We Have Heard On High
13. Angels From The Realms Of Glory
14. Ave Maria by Caccini

I would love to hear from some of the good folks on the forum as to
their opinion and also some additions they might include on this wish
list.

Buon Natale,

Tony

> >http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047- Hide quoted text -

[Lou]

Hi Tony: I'm a great fan of 33-year-old Jon Vickers' stirring,
dramatic, some say over-the-top, interpretation of the tenor part in
the controversial, notorious, modernized, "unauthentic" version of
Handel's Messiah. Authentic or not, the passion and conviction in
Vickers' reading is irresistible. Here's a link to the Christmas part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNCKYXc9EUc Yes, I would have loved to
listen to Lanza's take on this one.

I find the mood and sentiment of Pieta, Signore out of place in the
"Christmas with Mario Lanza" compilation. But in a more appropriate
context, a stylistically improved rendition, along with Ingemisco and
O Souverain, o juge, o pere, would have been a wonderful addition to
the Lanza discography, IMO.

Cheers,
Lou

> > >http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047-Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Tonytenor]

Hi Lou. Great additions; the "Ingemisco" and "O Souverain." Say, how
about Rossini's STABAT MATER? What Mario could have done with those
high notes!!!

I am delighted to know that you are a fan of the Beecham MESSIAH. You
know, at the time of it's release it was lambasted as horrible and
virtually criminal. Funny how now the "critics" seem to find it;
"inspired," "enlightening" and "redefining." Ah, critics. One of the
best descriptions of critics was made by the great Irish playwright
Brendon Behan who said, "Sure the critic is like the eunich in the
Harem. He sees it done every night, but he can't do it himself."

Ciao,
Tony

On Dec 15, 9:44 pm, Lou <louab...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi Tony: I'm a great fan of 33-year-old Jon Vickers' stirring,
> dramatic, some say over-the-top, interpretation of the tenor part in
> the controversial, notorious, modernized, "unauthentic" version of
> Handel's Messiah. Authentic or not, the passion and conviction in

> Vickers' reading is irresistible. Here's a link to the Christmas part:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNCKYXc9EUcYes, I would have loved to

> > > >http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047...quoted text -

[Lou]

Oh yes, Tony, I'd definitely add Rossini's Stabat Mater to the wish
list. It would have given us Mario's second(?) recorded high D flat.

It seems American novelist John Steinbeck's mind was running in the
same track as Brendan Behan's when he said, "Critics are the eunuchs
of literature. They stand by in envious awe while the whole man and
his partner demonstrate the art of living."

> > > > >http://grandi-tenori.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3591&p=42047#p42047...text -

[Tonytenor]

Wonderful quote from Steinbeck Lou. You know, I am struck by the
similarity of how the musical elite of the day received Beecham's
MESSIAH and the way Mario Lanza was treated by that same lofty bunch
during his lifetime. It is only after the fact; after the
controversial recording of MESSIAH has been out for decades, and after
Mario has passed away that these self-appointed "experts" proclaim the
validity (and even possible greatness) of things such as the
aforementioned recording and a unique and once-in-a-lifetime artist
like Lanza.

The quotes from Behan and Steinbeck cause me to think of the old
saying, "Those who cannot, teach." I think that is rather harsh and
certainly a generalization, but it is interesting to note how many
singers (who "could") turn out to be rather dreadful teachers. So
often, they end up turning out poor replicas of themselves.

I think about this often when I think of Constantine Callinicos. As
we all know, he was not a singer and, based on various posts on this
forum, his artistic and interpretive talents are up for debate.
Having worked with him for the years that I did though I would say
that he was a wonderful coach but not a "voice builder." His
interpretive skills were quite good and even coaching some of the
Italian art songs - "Seben crudele" comes immediately to mind - I
learned a great deal and gained insight into the essence of
musicality. In truth though, I did it sort of backwards. I studied
with Callinicos BEFORE I worked with a good voice builder. That came
later in Philadelphia when I worked with Wayne Conner - by far the
best VOICE TEACHER I ever studied with. I do not regret my time with
Costa, it was wonderful and the memories are very fond and I treasure
them dearly. But I have often wondered if I could have gotten even
more studying with Costa if I had done it AFTER working with a voice
builder like Wayne Conner.

Ciao,

Tony

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