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Mario Lanza as Lt. Pinkerton from Madama Butterfly. Lanza sang the role of Pinkerton at the New Orleans Opera in 1948.
Mario Lanza as Lt. Pinkerton from Madama Butterfly. Lanza sang the role of Pinkerton at the New Orleans Opera in 1948. Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans Louisiana.

Mario Lanza (31 January 1921 – 7 October 1959) was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star who enjoyed success in the late 1940s and 1950s. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive His lirico spinto tenor voice was considered by some to rival that of Enrico Caruso, whom Lanza portrayed in the 1951 film The Great Caruso. Enrico Caruso (born Errico Caruso; February 25 1873 &ndash August 2 1921) was an Italian Opera singer The Great Caruso is a 1951 Lanza sang a wide variety of music throughout his career, ranging from opera to the popular songs of the day. While his highly emotional style was not always universally praised by critics, he was immensely popular and his many recordings are still prized today. He died of pulmonary embolism at only age 38. Pulmonary embolism (PE is a blockage of the Pulmonary artery or one of its branches usually occurring when a venous Thrombus (blood clot from a vein

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Operatic career

Born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was exposed to opera and singing at a young age by his Italian immigrant parents, and by the age of 16 his vocal talent had become apparent. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Starting out in local operatic productions in Philadelphia, he later came to the attention of conductor Serge Koussevitzky, who provided young Cocozza with a full student scholarship to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Dr Tanglewood is an estate and Music venue in Lenox and Stockbridge Massachusetts and is the home of the annual summer Tanglewood Music Festival The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Koussevitzky would later tell Lanza that, "Yours is a voice such as is heard once in a hundred years. "

His operatic debut, as Fenton in Otto Nicolai's Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor, was at Tanglewood on August 7, 1942, after studying with conductors Boris Goldovsky and Leonard Bernstein. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Carl Otto Ehrenfried Nicolai ( June 9, 1810 Königsberg The Merry Wives of Windsor (in German Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor) is an opera in three acts by Carl Otto Nicolai to a German Libretto by Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes It was here that Cocozza adopted the stage name Mario Lanza, which was the masculine version of his mother’s name. His performances at Tanglewood won him critical acclaim, with Noel Straus of The New York Times hailing the 21-year-old tenor as having "few equals among tenors of the day in terms of quality, warmth, and power. "

His operatic career was interrupted by World War II, when he was assigned to Special Services in the U.S. Army Air Corps. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U He appeared in the wartime shows On the Beam and Winged Victory while in the Air Corps. Winged Victory is a play and later a film by Moss Hart, originally created and produced by the U He also appeared in the film version of the latter (albeit as an unrecognizable member of the chorus).

He resumed his singing career in October 1945 on the CBS radio program Great Moments in Music, where he made six appearances singing various operatic selections. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. He later studied with noted teacher Enrico Rosati for fifteen months, then embarked on an 86-concert tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico between July 1947 and May 1948 with George London and Frances Yeend. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. George London ( May 30, 1920 &ndash March 24, 1985) was a Montreal -born concert and operatic Bass-baritone. Frances Yeend ( 28 January 1913 – 27 April 2008) was an American lyric Soprano opera singer Reviewing his second appearance at Chicago's Grant Park in July 1947 in the Chicago Sunday Tribune, the respected music critic Claudia Cassidy praised Lanza's "superbly natural tenor" and observed that "though a multitude of fine points evade him, he possesses the things almost impossible to learn. The Chicago Tribune is a major daily Newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and owned by the Tribune Company He knows the accent that makes a lyric line reach its audience, and he knows why opera is music drama. "

In April 1948, Lanza sang two performances as Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly for the New Orleans Opera Association. The conductor was Walter Herbert. For the British polar explorer see Wally Herbert. For the conductor and impresario see Walter Herbert (conductor. Writing in the St. Louis News, critic Laurence Odel observed that, "Mario Lanza performed his duties as Lieut. Pinkerton with considerable verve and dash. Rarely have we seen a more superbly romantic leading tenor. His exceptionally beautiful voice helps immeasurably. " Following the success of these performances, Lanza was invited to return to New Orleans in 1949 as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata. However, as biographer Armando Cesari observes, by 1949 Lanza "was already deeply engulfed in the Hollywood machinery and consequently never learned the role [of Alfredo]. "

Film career

Mario Lanza as Lt. Pinkerton and Kathryn Grayson as Cio-Cio San of Madama Butterfly in their 1950 picture The Toast of New Orleans.
Mario Lanza as Lt. Pinkerton and Kathryn Grayson as Cio-Cio San of Madama Butterfly in their 1950 picture The Toast of New Orleans. WikipediaWikiProject_Opera#Infoboxes --> Kathryn Grayson (born February 9, 1922) is an American actress The Toast of New Orleans is a 1950 film directed by Norman Taurog and choreographed by Eugene Loring.

A concert at the Hollywood Bowl in August 1947 had brought Lanza to the attention of MGM's Louis B. Mayer, who promptly signed Lanza to a seven-year film contract with Metro Goldwyn Mayer. The Hollywood Bowl is a famous modern Amphitheatre in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles California, USA, that is used primarily for music Performances Louis Burt Mayer (born Lazar Meir July 4, 1884 &ndash October 29, 1957) was an early Film producer, most This would prove to be a turning point in the young singer's career. MGM's contract with Lanza required him to commit to the studio for six months, and at first Lanza was able to combine his film career with his operatic one. In May 1949, he made his first commercial recordings with RCA Victor. Sony BMG Music Entertainment is a diverse music and entertainment group However, his first two starring films, That Midnight Kiss and The Toast of New Orleans, were very successful, as was his recording career, and Lanza's fame increased dramatically. That Midnight Kiss ( 1949) was the screen debut of Tenor Mario Lanza, also starring Kathryn Grayson, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer The Toast of New Orleans is a 1950 film directed by Norman Taurog and choreographed by Eugene Loring.

In 1951, Lanza portrayed Enrico Caruso in The Great Caruso, which proved an astonishing success. Enrico Caruso (born Errico Caruso; February 25 1873 &ndash August 2 1921) was an Italian Opera singer The Great Caruso is a 1951 At the same time, his popularity exposed Lanza to intense criticism by some music critics, including those who had praised his work years earlier.

In 1952, Lanza was dismissed by MGM after he had pre-recorded the songs for The Student Prince. The Student Prince is an Operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. The reason most frequently cited for his dismissal in the tabloid press at the time was that Lanza's recurring weight problem had made it impossible for him to fit into the costumes of the Prince. However, as his biographers Cesari and Mannering have established, Lanza was not overweight at the beginning of the production, and it was, in fact, a disagreement with director Curtis Bernhardt over Lanza's singing of one of the songs in the film that led to Lanza walking off the set. Curtis Bernhardt ( April 15, 1899 - February 22, 1981) was a German Film director born in Worms Germany. MGM refused to replace Bernhardt, and the film was subsequently made with actor Edmund Purdom miming to Lanza's vocals. Edmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom (b December 19 1924, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England) is an Italian -based Ironically, the eventual director of the film was Richard Thorpe, the same man whom Lanza had pleaded with MGM to replace Bernhardt, and with whom the tenor had enjoyed an excellent working relationship on The Great Caruso. For the historian and biographer see D R Thorpe. Richard Thorpe ( February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991

Depressed by his dismissal, and with his self-confidence severely undermined, Lanza became a virtual recluse for more than a year, frequently seeking refuge in alcoholic binges. During this period Lanza also came very close to bankruptcy as a result of poor investment decisions made by his former manager, and his lavish spending habits left him owing about $250,000 in back taxes to the IRS. The

He returned to an active film career in 1955 in Serenade. Serenade, a 1956 Warner Bros release was Tenor Mario Lanza 's fifth film and his first on-screen appearance in four years However, despite its strong musical content, it was not as successful as his previous films. Lanza then moved to Rome, Italy in May 1957, where he worked on the film Seven Hills of Rome and returned to live performing in a series of acclaimed concerts throughout Britain, Ireland and the European Continent. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Seven Hills of Rome east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the ancient city The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Despite failing health, which resulted in a number of cancellations during this period, Lanza continued to receive offers for operatic appearances, concerts and films.

Tenor Richard Tucker (left) speaking with Mario Lanza in 1958 at Tucker's Covent Garden debut.
Tenor Richard Tucker (left) speaking with Mario Lanza in 1958 at Tucker's Covent Garden debut. Richard Tucker ( August 28, 1913 &ndash January 8, 1975) was an American operatic Tenor. WikipediaWikiProject Opera --> The Royal Opera House is an Opera house and major performing

In late August 1958, he made a number of operatic recordings at the Rome Opera House for the soundtrack of what would turn out to be his final film, For the First Time. For the First Time ( 1959) is Tenor star Mario Lanza 's final film Here he came into contact with the Artistic Director of the Rome Opera, Riccardo Vitale, who offered him the role of Canio in Pagliacci in the theater's 1960/61 season. Pagliacci ( Players, or Clowns) is an Opera consisting of a prologue and two acts written and composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo. Lanza also received offers from the management of the La Scala and San Carlo opera houses. At the same time, however, his health continued to decline, with the tenor suffering from a variety of ailments, including phlebitis and acute high blood pressure. Phlebitis is an Inflammation of a Vein, usually in the Legs When phlebitis is associated with the formation of Blood clots ( Thrombosis Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the Blood pressure is chronically elevated The old habits of overeating and crash dieting, coupled with his binge drinking, compounded his problems.

In April 1959, Lanza suffered a minor heart attack, followed by double pneumonia in August. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal He died in Rome in October of that year at the age of 38 from a pulmonary embolism after undergoing a controversial weight loss program colloquially known as "the twilight sleep treatment," which required its patients to be kept immobile and sedated for prolonged periods. Pulmonary embolism (PE is a blockage of the Pulmonary artery or one of its branches usually occurring when a venous Thrombus (blood clot from a vein Lanza's widow, Betty, moved back to Hollywood with their four children but died five months later. Biographer Armando Cesari writes that the apparent cause of death, according to the coroner, was "asphyxiation resulting from a respiratory ailment for which she had been receiving medication. " In 1991 Marc, the younger of their two sons, died of a heart attack at the age of 37; six years later, Colleen, their eldest daughter, was killed when she was struck by two passing vehicles on a highway.

Lanza's short career covered opera, radio, concerts, recordings, and motion pictures. He was the first artist for RCA Victor Red Seal to receive a gold disc. RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. He was also the first artist to sell two and half million albums. A highly influential artist, Lanza has been credited with inspiring the careers of successive generations of opera singers, including Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Leo Nucci and José Carreras, as well as those of singers with seemingly different backgrounds, and influences, his RCA Victor label-mate Elvis Presley being the most notable example. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941) better WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes. Thank you--> Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( October 12, Leo Nucci (born April 16, 1942, Castiglione dei Pepoli, near Bologna) is an Italian operatic Baritone, one of the leading baritones WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Josep Carreras i Coll (born December 5, 1946, Barcelona In 1994, tenor José Carreras paid tribute to Lanza in a worldwide concert tour, saying of him, "If I'm an opera singer, it's thanks to Mario Lanza. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Josep Carreras i Coll (born December 5, 1946, Barcelona "

Filmography

Mario Lanza as Giuseppe Verdi's Otello.
Mario Lanza as Giuseppe Verdi's Otello. Winged Victory is a play and later a film by Moss Hart, originally created and produced by the U Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. That Midnight Kiss ( 1949) was the screen debut of Tenor Mario Lanza, also starring Kathryn Grayson, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Toast of New Orleans is a 1950 film directed by Norman Taurog and choreographed by Eugene Loring. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Great Caruso is a 1951 Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Because You're Mine (1952 was Mario Lanza 's fourth movie and was criticised upon its release as being artistically a step backwards for the tenor after the success Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the musical film For other uses see Student Prince The Student Prince was a popular 1954 Cinemascope Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) This article is about the musical film For other uses see Student Prince The Student Prince was a popular 1954 Cinemascope Serenade, a 1956 Warner Bros release was Tenor Mario Lanza 's fifth film and his first on-screen appearance in four years Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Seven Hills of Rome was tenor Mario Lanza 's penultimate film Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the First Time ( 1959) is Tenor star Mario Lanza 's final film The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Otello is an Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian Libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare 's play

Select recordings

References

External links

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