The golden voice of Mario Lanza getting away from his operatic songs and doing "Broadway"
Nice to hear Mario's versions of Show Tunes showing how he could sing popular songs as well as all the "Opera" Aria's.....and he does a great job on them !
I have tried very hard to like this album but unfortunately all I hear is a bellowing and belching tenor voice which lacks of control and with a very wobbly tessitura. I agree with Andre Previn in his opinion that Lanza had little talent and was most certainly appalling when he attempted opera.
I still remember when waching "The Great Caruso" in the cinema, the "undereducated" audience applauded his "bellowing and belching tenor voice which lacks of control" after each and every aria.
Some comments from professional opera singers who either sang with Lanza or heard him live. Grace Bumbry, soprano (1937- ). Heard Lanza in concert — presumably during his 1958 tour, as she was in Europe at the time. Told Joseph Calleja that Lanza possessed "a fully bloomed lirico spinto of outstanding quality." Nicolai Gedda, tenor. (1925 - ). Attended Lanza's first recital at the Royal Albert Hall, 16 January 1958. "It's the greatest tenor voice I've ever heard." Tito Schipa(1888-1965): "A beautiful voice, a sad story." Jussi Björling (1911-1960), when asked if he had seen the Mario Lanza film of Caruso: "Yes," he answered, a bit guardedly. "A pretty good picture, and I like Lanza's singing very much. Why is it we don't hear of him lately?" Bjoerling was told that Lanza had proved difficult with his employers. The Swedish tenor shook his head sadly, murmuring. "Too bad - such gifts should not be wasted." With greetings from Trafikuty, Hungary
Some great standard songs from Broadway musicals sung by one of the greats !!
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I have tried very hard to like this album but unfortunately all I hear is a bellowing and belching tenor voice which lacks of control and with a very wobbly tessitura. I agree with Andre Previn in his opinion that Lanza had little talent and was most certainly appalling when he attempted opera.
ReplyDeleteI still remember when waching "The Great Caruso" in the cinema, the "undereducated" audience applauded his "bellowing and belching tenor voice which lacks of control" after each and every aria.
ReplyDeleteSome comments from professional opera singers who either sang with Lanza or heard him live.
ReplyDeleteGrace Bumbry, soprano (1937- ). Heard Lanza in concert — presumably during his 1958 tour, as she was in Europe at the time. Told Joseph Calleja that Lanza possessed "a fully bloomed lirico spinto of outstanding quality."
Nicolai Gedda, tenor. (1925 - ). Attended Lanza's first recital at the Royal Albert Hall, 16 January 1958. "It's the greatest tenor voice I've ever heard."
Tito Schipa(1888-1965): "A beautiful voice, a sad story."
Jussi Björling (1911-1960), when asked if he had seen the Mario Lanza film of Caruso: "Yes," he answered, a bit guardedly. "A pretty good picture, and I like Lanza's singing very much. Why is it we don't hear of him lately?" Bjoerling was told that Lanza had proved difficult with his employers. The Swedish tenor shook his head sadly, murmuring. "Too bad - such gifts should not be wasted."
With greetings from Trafikuty, Hungary