- Of Mario Lanza's voice, the legendary
Conductor Serge Koussevitzky of the Boston Symphony said, "There is
no doubt. This is the greatest voice since Caruso." No less a giant
than Maestro Arturo Toscanini, who had worked with Caruso, took the compliment
even farther by declaring flatly that Mario Lanza has, "the greatest
voice of the century." Even hip and trendy People Magazine recently
stated that his voice is "Magnificent."
-
- Without equivocation, Lanza possessed
the most astonishing vocal gift of the last 100 years. Possibly of all
time. His singing voice, without equivocation, has an unmatched ability
to reach out and deeply touch people any time, any place no matter what
language they may speak or what country they may live in. For many, in
fact, just mentally conjuring up the sound of the Lanza voice can raise
lowly spirits and lift depression. That's pretty amazing...especially in
this day of hyperbole, overkill, product hype, and mass marketing gimmicks
and trickery. You see, Mario Lanza was the real thing: a larger than life
comet of unsurpassed, searing, superhuman vocal talent. And heart. And
complexity. And sensitivity. And PASSION. He spared nothing to share his
gift with the world. It is sometimes said of young tenors: "He's another
Mario Lanza". But so far, not one of them has come close to living
up to that comparison.
-
- Remembering that he left for a far better
place over 40 years ago at the absurd age of 38 makes it all the more amazing
to consider what is happening with the Lanza legacy in this new century
and millennium.
-
- Just a few examples: There at least half
a dozen other singers on three continents now doing one man tributes to
Lanza in dinner houses and theaters, often to packed audiences.
-
- Metropolitan Opera Star Richard Leech
often does Lanza tribute concerts which are so successful the NY Times
did a feature article on Mario. The Three Tenors, of course, were all inspired
as by Mario Lanza and have dedicated complete performances to him. Jose
Carreras recorded an entire CD in his honor. All three have recorded many
of Mario's standards as their own and routinely pay tribute to him in their
concerts. But try as they may to recreate the magic, it simply can't be
done. There is only one Mario Lanza whose unforgettable voice lives on
in both CD and film and continues to be the source of joy and inspiration
for people the world over...and countless young opera singers.
-
- As many of you well know, to listen Mario
Lanza perform a song is often to hear it done as well as it could ever
be done. It's that simple. His are often definitive performances. In addition
to his peerless emotional and dramatic interpretation, his phrasing is
flawless, especially in the marvelous recordings of scores of popular English
songs adored by millions around the world and featured on this CD. There
is simply no one else who can make sometimes impossibly clumsy lyrics completely
believable and convincing. And when Mario had lyrics that were already
wonderful to begin with, you almost have to sit down because of the impact
of what you are hearing.
-
- One of the world's foremost Lanza experts,
Clyde Smith, whose essays can be read in Feature Articles, uses the expression
of a 'towering a wall of sound' to describe the overwhelming dimensions
of the Lanza voice at full output.
-
- It has also been suggested that the almost
other-worldly overtones, and harmonics embedded within Mario's voice resonate
with people at unique and unprecedented levels, both physically and emotionally
and can produce some profound emotional and near spiritual manifestations
of well being. A friend of mine who is a Psychiatrist (a real human being,
not a huckster) tells me of an 85 year old patient of his who literally
stays alive to listen to her aging collection of Mario's LPs. Amazing.
-
- I first became aware of Mario Lanza in
my university days. As one of many ventures and sidelights I would drift
in and out of, I opened up a small restaurant which I operated (during
my Junior year). Once a month or so, I would close it for a night and screen
a Mario Lanza film....to several dozen fellow students and apparachiks
who had been weaned on Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. It didn't matter.
Mario's vocal prowess, his sound, his passion, his charm and charisma walked
right through the haze of marijuana smoke and the chemical fog of LSD and
would lift these people right up and out of their sometimes semi-conscious
parameters and float them off into a state of thrilled anesthesia. It happened
every time.
-
- My grandfather was a world-famous French
Chef who was a fixture at several prime Hollywood restaurants during the
40's and 50's, primarily Ciro's on Sunset. He was a good friend of Gable
and a pal of Flynn. But his great friend was Mario. Not knowing any other
this during my youth, I asked my grandfather, one day in passing, if he
had known Mario.
-
- In my mind's eye, I can still see his
face suddenly change, as if a voltage of electric current had passed through
him at the moment I said "Mario Lanza." He said, through his
still thick French accent, "Jesus Christ...what a BEAUTIFUL man! My
God..what a voice." And then, as his eyes told me, he went somewhere
else to be with his private memories of Mario. I didn't ask anymore of
him. What I would give to have been with my grandfather just once when
he was with Mario and heard him sing...like the night at Ciro's when Dean
and Jerry were doing their act on stage. Spying Mario in the audience,
the comedians insisted that Mario, having dinner with Betty, stand up and
sing. Mario did...and when he was finished, Dean and Jerry excused themselves
and simply said good night to the audience...their performance for the
night was finished.. There was simply no way they could follow the Lanza
voice...
-
- I remember seeing the same reaction my
grandfather had overtake songwriting legend Sammy Cahn's face during an
interview when I asked him about Mario. "Oh, what a voice...what an
incredible voice!" As I said the words "Mario Lanza" Sammy's
eyes appeared to come unfocused and his consciousness seemed to have vaulted
back through the decades to dwell, for a few moments, with his memories
of Mario.
-
- It's still rather hard for me to believe,
but there are those who don't "hear" the voice. Either you do
or you don't, it seems. I've always felt sorry for those who couldn't,
or wouldn't, let that sound in. I'm happy that you did and welcome you
to this small tribute to the man who will never have a rival. You see,
there just can't ever be another. (Barring, the genetic cloning of humans
from their mortal remains which may already be feasible according to some
insiders, but that's another story which you may hear about on my radio
program if you listen in often).
-
- So, who am I? I am father, author, former
tv news anchor and News Director, businessman, national radio talk show
host, and proud overseer of this unique internet location to which you
are all invited, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I especially like to
hear from those of you who knew Mario, or saw him perform. Please write
up that experience: what it was like, the sound, the audience, the man
and his personality, and send it in...letters such as these are as close
to time travel as it gets.
-
- This Mario Lanza site is located on the
Home Page of the web site of my national radio show at www.Rense.com You
can also access it by typing in MarioLanza.net. I think you'll find some
pretty interesting things to read and to consider here.
-
- Our Message Forum is open for business
24 hours a day. You can post messages and questions which will usually
be answered by Lanza fans located almost anywhere on the planet. Truly
amazing. Spend a few minutes reading the messages and you will be more
than impressed with the quality of people whose remarkable and entertaining
thoughts and expertise as always enjoyable and informative to read. It's
great fun and please do post a message once in a while. No such thing as
a silly question or a boring Mario Lanza anecdote here.
-
- Thanks for visiting...enjoy.
|
