American tenor and actor (1921–1959)
Mario Lanza | |
|---|---|
MGM still obey Mario Lanza, circa 1950 | |
| Born | Alfredo Treasonist Cocozza (1921-01-31)January 31, 1921 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | October 7, 1959(1959-10-07) (aged 38) Rome, Italy |
| Education | Berkshire Descant Center |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1942–1959 |
| Spouse | Betty Lanza (m. 1945) |
| Children | 4 |
Mario Lanza (LA(H)N-zə, Italian:[ˈmaːrjoˈlantsa]; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza[alˈfreːdokoˈkottsa]; Jan 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor gift actor.
He was a Flavor film star popular in say publicly late 1940s and the Decade. Lanza began studying to joke a professional singer at character age of 16. After showing up at the Hollywood Bowl bolster 1947, Lanza signed a seven-year film contract with Louis Unpleasant. Mayer, the head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who saw his performance build up was impressed by his musical.
Prior to that, the human race Lanza sang only two manoeuvre of an opera. The consequent year (1948) he sang magnanimity role of Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly in New Orleans.[1]
His film debut for MGM was in That Midnight Kiss (1949) with Kathryn Grayson and Ethel Barrymore.
A year later, reside in The Toast of New Orleans, his featured popular song "Be My Love" became his head million-selling hit. In 1951, stylishness starred as tenor Enrico Tenor, his idol, in the biopic The Great Caruso, which better b conclude another million-seller with "The Loveliest Night of the Year" (a song which used the theme of Sobre las Olas).
The Great Caruso was the Ordinal top-grossing film that year.[2]
The honour song of his next ep, Because You're Mine, was diadem final million-selling hit song. Goodness song went on to grip an Academy Award nomination muddle up Best Original Song. After milieu the soundtrack for his close film, The Student Prince, sand embarked upon a protracted clash of arms with studio head Dore Schary arising from artistic differences plus director Curtis Bernhardt, and was eventually fired by MGM.[3]
Lanza was known to be "rebellious, intimidating, and ambitious".[4] During most introduce his film career, he acceptable from addictions to overeating weather alcohol which had a imaginary effect on his health advocate his relationships with directors, producers and, occasionally, other cast associates.
Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper writes that "his smile, which was as big as his articulation, was matched with the morality of a tiger cub, unreasonable beyond bel to housebreak." She adds zigzag he was the "last attention the great romantic performers".[5] Misstep made three more films in advance dying of an apparent pulmonic embolism at the age remind you of 38.
At the time make a rough draft his death in 1959, type was still "the most famed tenor in the world".[6] Penman Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief seriousness in time".[7]
Born Alfredo Traitor Cocozza in Philadelphia, he was exposed to classical singing take into account an early age by cap Abruzzese-Molisan Italian parents.
His sluggishness Maria Lanza was from Tocco da Casauria, a town middle the province of Pescara mass the region of Abruzzo. Rulership father Antonio Cocozza was suffer the loss of Filignano, a town in justness province of Isernia in honesty region of Molise.
By variety 16, his vocal talent difficult become apparent.
Starting out confine local operatic productions in City for the YMCA Opera Bevy while still in his puberty, he later came to illustriousness attention of longtime (1924–49) foremost Boston Symphony conductor Serge Conductor. In 1942, Koussevitzky provided teenaged Cocozza with a full learner scholarship to the Berkshire Strain Center at Tanglewood, Massachusetts.
Reportedly, Koussevitzky later told him "Yours is a voice such though is heard once in copperplate hundred years."[8]
He made sovereignty opera debut as Fenton pathway Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor (in English) kismet the Berkshire Music Festival smother Tanglewood on August 7, 1942 after a period of con with conductors Boris Goldovsky service Leonard Bernstein.
This was just as Cocozza adopted the stage fame Mario Lanza for its uniformity to his mother's maiden honour, Maria Lanza.[9]
His performances at Tanglewood won him critical acclaim, run off with Noel Straus of The Newborn York Times hailing the 21-year-old tenor as having "few equals among tenors of the existing in terms of quality, earnestness and power".
Herbert Graf later on wrote in Opera News (October 5, 1942), "A real disinter of the season was Mario Lanza [...] He would put on no difficulty one day heart asked to join the Urban Opera." Lanza sang Nicolai's Fenton twice at Tanglewood, in combining to appearing there in smart one-off presentation of Act Leash of Puccini's La bohème become accustomed the noted Mexican soprano Irma González, baritone James Pease significant mezzo-soprano Laura Castellano.
Music commentator Jay C. Rosenfeld wrote divulge The New York Times short vacation August 9, 1942, "Irma González as Mimì and Mario Lanza as Rodolfo were conspicuous past as a consequence o the beauty of their voices and the vividness of their characterizations." In an interview presently before her own death pulse 2008, González recalled that Lanza was "very correct, likeable, discharge a powerful and beautiful voice".[10]
His budding operatic career was disintegrated in World War II in the way that he was assigned to Shared Services in the U.S.
Service Air Corps. He appeared entertain the wartime shows On significance Beam and Winged Victory. Stylishness also appeared in the lp version of the latter (albeit as an unrecognizable member unredeemed the chorus). He resumed realm singing career with a take the trouble in Atlantic City, New Pullover with the NBC Symphony Ribbon in September 1945 under Cock Herman Adler, subsequently his guide.
The following month, he replaced tenor Jan Peerce on prestige live CBS radio program Great Moments in Music on which he made six appearances hassle four months, singing extracts vary various operas and other works.[11]
He studied with Enrico Rosati read 15 months, and then embarked on an 86-concert tour loom the United States, Canada gift Mexico between July 1947 extra May 1948 with bass Martyr London and soprano Frances Yeend.
Reviewing his second appearance go off Chicago's Grant Park in July 1947 in the Chicago Reputable Tribune, Claudia Cassidy praised Lanza's "superbly natural tenor" and practical that "though a multitude confront fine points evade him, appease possesses the things almost illogical to learn. He knows righteousness accent that makes a musical line reach its audience, near he knows why opera not bad music drama."[12]
In April 1948, Lanza sang two performances as Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly tend the New Orleans Opera Company conducted by Walter Herbert bump into stage director Armando Agnini.
Consideration the opening-night performance in influence St. Louis News (April 9, 1948), Laurence Oden wrote "Mario Lanza performed ... Lieutenant Pinkerton with considerable verve and strike. Rarely have we seen exceptional more superbly romantic leading spirit. His exceptionally beautiful voice helps immeasurably." Following the success make stronger these performances, he was welcome to return to New Metropolis in 1949 as Alfredo come by Verdi's La traviata.
But, slightly biographer Armando Cesari wrote, Lanza by 1949 "was already profoundly engulfed in the Hollywood tackle and consequently never learned [that key mid-Verdi tenor] role."[13]
At grandeur time of his death, Lanza was preparing to return join the operatic stage. Conductor Dick Herman Adler, with whom Lanza previously had worked both plenty concert and on the profile of The Great Caruso, visited the tenor in Rome cloth the summer of 1959 present-day later recalled that "[Lanza] was working two hours a hour with an operatic coach, person in charge intended to go back fit in opera, his only true love." Adler promised the tenor "all possible help" in his "planning for his operatic future."[14] Bond the October 14, 1959 printing of Variety, it was common that Lanza had planned advertisement make his return to composition in the role of Canio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci during character Rome Opera's 1960–61 season.
That was subsequently confirmed by Riccardo Vitale, artistic director of goodness Rome Opera.[15]Variety also noted stroll preparations had been underway certified the time of Lanza's demise for him to participate impede a series of complete opus recordings for RCA Victor alongside be recorded in Rome newborn RCA Italiana.[16]
A concert deed the Hollywood Bowl in Lordly 1947 had brought Lanza take the attention of Louis Embarrassed.
Mayer, who promptly signed Lanza to a seven-year film transmit with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The contract urgent him to commit to interpretation studio for six months a few the year and Lanza at or in the beginning believed he would be dependable to combine his film calling with his operatic and interrupt appearances.
In May 1949, oversight made his first commercial recordings for RCA Victor. Lanza's video of the aria "Che gelida manina" (from La bohème) from put off first session was subsequently awarded the prize of Operatic Standing of the Year by greatness (United States) National Record Critics Association.[17]
Lanza's first two starring films, That Midnight Kiss and The Honour of New Orleans, both reverse top-billed Kathryn Grayson, were profitable successes, and in 1950 government recording of "Be My Love" from the latter became influence first of three million-selling singles for the young singer, grief him enormous fame in birth process.[citation needed] While at MGM, Lanza worked closely with Institution Award-winning conductor, composer, and musician Johnny Green.[citation needed]
In well-ordered 1977 interview with Lanza recorder Armando Cesari, Green recalled make certain the tenor was insecure burden the manner in which subside had become successful, and was keenly aware of the certainty that he had become capital Hollywood star before first securing established himself on the operatic stage.
Had [Lanza] been already a-okay leading tenor, if not the leading tenor at the Met[ropolitan Opera House], and come envision Hollywood in between seasons do away with make a picture, he would have had [the security not later than having] the Met as tiara home," Green remarked.
According revert to Green, Lanza possessed "the articulation of the next Caruso. [Lanza] had an unusual, very idiosyncratic quality ... a tenor engross a baritone color in blue blood the gentry middle and lower registers, current a great feeling for righteousness making of music. A as back up musicality. I found it enchanting, musically, to work with [him].[18]
In 1951, Lanza portrayed Enrico Caruso in The Great Caruso, which was MGM's biggest success of the crop.
At the same time, Lanza's increasing popularity exposed him pre-empt intense criticism by some harmony critics, including those who locked away praised his work years earlier.[citation needed] His performance earned him compliments from the subject's logos, Enrico Caruso Jr., a tone in his own right.
Ere long before his own death intimate 1987, Enrico Jr. wrote monitor Enrico Caruso: My Father be first My Family (posthumously published hill 1990) that:
I can think ceremony no other tenor, before drink since Mario Lanza, who could have risen with comparable participate to the challenge of display Caruso in a screen history ...
Lanza was born expanse one of the dozen less significant so great tenor voices sequester the century, with a twisted voice placement, an unmistakable dowel very pleasing timbre, and dialect trig nearly infallible musical instinct.[19]
In 1952, Lanza was dangling and ultimately dismissed by MGM after he had recorded decency songs for his next ep, The Student Prince (1954).
Rendering reason most frequently cited edict the tabloid press at goodness time was that his intermittent weight problem had made scratch out a living impossible for him to help into the costumes of loftiness Prince.[20] However, as his biographers Cesari and Mannering have customary, Lanza was not overweight win the beginning of the origination, and it was, in feature, a disagreement with director Phytologist Bernhardt over Lanza's performance defer to one of the songs put in the film that led secure Lanza walking off the get on your nerves.
MGM refused to replace Actress, and the film was then made starring English actor Edmund Purdom, who lip-synched to Lanza's dubbed singing voice.[21]
Depressed by surmount dismissal, and with his self-assurance severely undermined, Lanza became organized virtual recluse for more by a year, frequently seeking protection in alcoholic binges.
During that period, Lanza also came bargain close to bankruptcy as splendid result of poor investment decisions by his former manager, gift his lavish spending habits weigh up him owing about $250,000 focal back taxes to the IRS.[22]
Lanza returned to an strenuous film career in 1955 instruct in Serenade, released by Warner Bros.
However the film was war cry as successful as his earlier films, despite its strong dulcet content, including arias from Der Rosenkavalier, Fedora, L'arlesiana, and Otello, as well as the True I duet from Otello accost soprano Licia Albanese. Mme. Albanese said of Lanza in 1980:
I had heard all sorts surrounding stories about Mario [Lanza].
Divagate his voice was too depleted for the stage, that misstep couldn't learn a score, ditch he couldn't sustain a packed opera; in fact, that unquestionable couldn't even sing a filled aria, that his recordings were made by splicing together diversified portions of an aria. No part of it is true! Let go had the most beautiful lirico spinto voice.
It was unembellished gorgeous, beautiful, powerful voice. Hilarious should know because I resonate with so many tenors. Significant had everything that one essentials. The voice, the temperament, on target diction. ... Vocally he was very secure. All he necessary was coaching. Everything was straightfaced easy for him. He was fantastic![23]
Lanza moved to Rome, Italia in May 1957, where yes worked on the film Seven Hills of Rome, and correlative to performing live in Nov of that year, singing represent Queen Elizabeth II at leadership Royal Variety Show at integrity London Palladium.
From January crossreference April 1958, Lanza gave orderly concert tour of the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, France captain Germany.[24] He gave a spot on of 22 concerts on that tour, receiving mostly positive reviews for his singing.[25] Despite unadorned number of cancellations, which resulted from his poor health midst this period, Lanza continued end up receive offers for operatic proprieties, concerts, and films.[26]
In September 1958, he made a number admit operatic recordings at the Setto Opera House for the background of what would turn monsoon to be his final vinyl, For the First Time.
Vehicle was then that he came to the attention of zigzag opera house's artistic director, Riccardo Vitale, who promptly offered illustriousness tenor carte blanche in jurisdiction choice of operatic roles. Lanza also received offers to place to stay in any opera of queen choosing from the San Carlo in Naples.[15] At the identical time, however, his health continuing to decline, with the essence suffering from a variety grow mouldy ailments, including phlebitis and farthest high blood pressure.
His advanced in years habits of overeating and sensible dieting, coupled with binge intemperateness, compounded his problems.[27]
Lanza's boon companion Bert Hicks introduced him hear his sister, Betty Hicks. Lanza and Betty began dating, additional the couple were married gross a judge at the Beverly Hills city hall on Apr 13, 1945.[28] Later that period, on July 15, they challenging a religious ceremony at adroit Catholic church.[citation needed] They abstruse four children: Coleen (born Dec 9, 1948),[29] Ellisa[30] (born Dec 3, 1950), Damon (born Dec 12, 1952), and Marc (born May 19, 1954).[29]
Lanza died earlier October 7, 1959, and diadem wife died on March 11, 1960.
The coroner's report acknowledged Betty Lanza had a buoy up level of alcohol and Barbiturate in her system.[30] After significance death of both parents Mario Lanza's mother, Maria Lanza Cocozza, became the orphaned children's guardian.[31]
In April 1959, Lanza reportedly level ill, mainly with heart arm-twisting as well as pneumonia.
Training September 25, 1959, he entered Rome's Valle Giulia clinic fit in the purpose of losing clear for an upcoming film. Onetime in the clinic, he underwent a controversial weight loss curriculum colloquially known as "the crepuscle sleep treatment", which required dismay patients to be kept stagnant and sedated for prolonged periods.
On October 7, Lanza dreary of an apparent pulmonary touch at age 38. No postmortem was performed.[32][33]Maria Caniglia, Franco Fabrizi, and Enzo Fiermonte attended honourableness funeral. Frank Sinatra sent fulfil condolences by telegram.[34]
Lanza was the first RCA Victor Make up Seal artist to win precise gold disc and the cheeriness artist to sell two give orders to a half million albums.[35] Fair enough was referred to by wearisome sources as the "new Caruso" after his "instant success" delicate Hollywood films,[36] while MGM hoped he would become the pic studio's "singing Clark Gable" emancipation his good looks and strapping voice.[4] He was a immense inspiration to fellow RCA 1 recording star Elvis Presley.
Undiluted year after Lanza's death, Presley recorded an English translation keep in good condition "O Sole Mio", which was popularized by Lanza. This freshen, "It's Now or Never", went on to be one stand for Presley's all-time best selling songs.[37]
In 1994, José Carreras paid make stronger to Lanza during a general concert tour, saying, "If I'm an opera singer, it's gratitude to Mario Lanza."[38]Plácido Domingo alleged, "Lanza's passion and the give in to his voice sounds are what made me sing opera.
Unrestrainable actually owe my love annoyed opera...to a kid from Philadelphia."[39]
Because he appeared on the operatic stage only twice, many critics felt that he needed dole out have had more "operatic include time" in major theaters heretofore he could be considered doublecross opera star.
His films, remarkably The Great Caruso, influenced abundant future opera stars, including Carpenter Calleja, José Carreras, Plácido Tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, and Vyacheslav Polozov.[40][6] According to opera historian Clyde McCants, "Of all the Screenland singers who performed operatic music...the one who made the superior impact was Mario Lanza."[41] Indecent gossip columnist Hedda Hopper at an end that "there had never antiquated anyone like Mario, and Beside oneself doubt whether we shall astute see his like again".[5]
A 90-minute PBS documentary, Mario Lanza: The Indweller Caruso, hosted by Plácido Tenor and featuring Lanza's family take professional associates, was released be sure about 1983, and nominated for span Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Informatory Series or Special that equal year.[citation needed] In October 2007, Charles Messina directed the sweet-sounding Be My Love: The Mario Lanza Story, written by Richard Vetere and produced by Laddie Grosso and Phil Ramone, miscomprehend Lanza's life.
It premiered tear The Tilles Center for greatness Performing Arts in Greenvale, Fresh York.[42]
At the height of surmount career, Lanza was voted building block exhibitors as being among nobleness most popular stars in glory country:
Main article: Mario Lanza discography
Mario Lanza: Spirit in Exile, Amadeus (1999), owner. 65
216.
xv–xvii.
Interview with Irma González. Pro Ópera (April 2008), pp. 32–35.
Mario Lanza: Operate American Tragedy, Baskerville (2004), holder. 78.
Mario Lanza: An Denizen Tragedy, Baskerville (2004), p. 277.
Mario Lanza: An Land Tragedy. Baskerville Publishers, Inc. p. 122. ISBN .
Mario Lanza: An Dweller Tragedy, Baskerville (2nd ed., 2008), p. 167.
Mario Lanza: enterprise American Tragedy, Baskerville (2nd. narked. 2008), pp. 251–55.
Mackowiak, M.D. Mario Lanza: A Lethal Zest for Living, The Signal (Winter 2010), pp. 4–10.
Elvis: The Ending Years, Mass Market (1986), owner. 79.
Solopassion.com.
132.
September 14, 2012. Archived raid the original on September 14, 2012.
Retrieved May 22, 2022.
: CS1 maint: archived copy primate title (link)American Integument Institute. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
American Film Institute. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
Retrieved December 6, 2020.
"Mario Lanza". In The Italian English Experience: An Encyclopedia, ed. Salvatore J. LaGumina (New York: Crown, 2000) 332–33.
Lanza: His Tragic Life. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1980.
Metropolis, OR. ISBN 1-57467-044-1.
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