Mario Lanza
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Mario Lanza ( , ; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza ; January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and actor. He was a Hollywood film star popular in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Lanza began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16. After appearing at the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...
in 1947, Lanza signed a seven-year film contract with
Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been: * Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...
, the head of
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
, who saw his performance and was impressed by his singing. Prior to that, the adult Lanza sang only two performances of an opera. The following year (1948) he sang the role of Pinkerton in
Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
's ''
Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. His film debut for MGM was in '' That Midnight Kiss'' (1949) with
Kathryn Grayson Kathryn Grayson (born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick; February 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010) was an American actress and coloratura soprano. From the age of 12, Grayson trained as an opera singer. She was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ...
and
Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...
. A year later, in '' The Toast of New Orleans'', his featured popular song " Be My Love" became his first million-selling hit. In 1951, he starred as tenor
Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyric tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles that r ...
, his idol, in the biopic '' The Great Caruso'', which produced another million-seller with "The Loveliest Night of the Year" (a song which used the melody of '' Sobre las Olas''). ''The Great Caruso'' was the 11th top-grossing film that year. The title song of his next film, ''
Because You're Mine ''Because You're Mine'' is a 1952 American musical comedy film starring Mario Lanza. Directed by Alexander Hall, the film also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, and Bobby Van. Plot Opera singer superstar Renaldo Rossano (Mario Lanza) is ...
'', was his final million-selling hit song. The song went on to receive an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for Best Original Song. After recording the soundtrack for his next film, ''
The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in a prologue and four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play ''Old Heidelberg (play), Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a scor ...
'', he embarked upon a protracted battle with studio head
Dore Schary Isadore "Dore" Schary (August 31, 1905 – July 7, 1980) was an American playwright, director, and producer for the stage and a prolific screenwriter and producer of motion pictures. He directed one feature film, ''Act One (film), Act One'', th ...
arising from artistic differences with director
Curtis Bernhardt Curtis Bernhardt (15 April 1899 – 22 February 1981) was a German film director born in Worms, Germany, under the name Kurt Bernhardt. Career He trained as an actor in Germany, and performed on the stage, before starting as a film director in ...
and was eventually fired by MGM. Lanza was known to be "rebellious, tough, and ambitious". During most of his film career, he suffered from
addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
s to overeating and alcohol, which had a serious effect on his health and his relationships with directors, producers, and, occasionally, other cast members. Hollywood columnist
Hedda Hopper Elda Furry (May 2, 1885February 1, 1966), known professionally as Hedda Hopper, was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, more than 35 million people read her columns. A strong supporter of the Hous ...
writes that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak." She adds that he was the "last of the great romantic performers". Hopper, Hedda. ''The Whole Truth and Nothing But'', Pyramid Books (1963), chapter 18. He made three more films before dying of an apparent
pulmonary embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an pulmonary artery, artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include dyspnea, shortness of breath, chest pain ...
at the age of 38. At the time of his death in 1959, he was still "the most famous tenor in the world". Author Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief moment in time".


Early years

Born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, he was exposed to classical singing at an early age by his Abruzzese-Molisan Italian parents. His mother, Maria Lanza, was from Tocco da Casauria, a town in the
province of Pescara The province of Pescara (; Abruzzese: ') is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pescara, which has a population of 119,483 inhabitants. As of 2017, it has a total population of 319,936 inhabitants over an area o ...
in the region of Abruzzo. His father, Antonio Cocozza, was from Filignano, a town in the
province of Isernia The province of Isernia () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Molise region of Italy. The provincial capital is the city Isernia and the president of the province is Alfredo Ricci. The province of Isernia has an area of and a population o ...
in the region of Molise. By age 16, his vocal talent had become apparent. Starting out in local operatic productions in Philadelphia for the
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...
Opera Company while still in his teens, he later came to the attention of longtime (1924–49) principal Boston Symphony conductor
Serge Koussevitzky Serge Koussevitzky (born Sergey Aleksandrovich Kusevitsky;Koussevitzky's original Russian forename is usually transliterated into English as either "Sergei" or "Sergey"; however, he himself adopted the French spelling "Serge", using it in his sig ...
. In 1942, Koussevitzky provided young Cocozza with a full student scholarship to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, Massachusetts. Reportedly, Koussevitzky later told him "Yours is a voice such as is heard once in a hundred years."


Opera career

He made the first of his few appearances in opera as Fenton in
Otto Nicolai Carl Otto Ehrenfried Nicolai (9 June 1810 – 11 May 1849) was a German composer, conductor, and one of the founders of the Vienna Philharmonic. Nicolai is best known for his operatic version of Shakespeare's comedy ''The Merry Wives of Wi ...
's ''
The Merry Wives of Windsor ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' or ''Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a ref ...
'' (in English) at the Berkshire Music Festival in Tanglewood on August 7, 1942, after a period of study with conductors Boris Goldovsky and
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...
. During this time, Cocozza adopted the stage name Mario Lanza because of its similarity to his mother's maiden name, Maria Lanza. The performances at Tanglewood won Lanza 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". Herbert Graf subsequently wrote in ''Opera News'' (October 5, 1942), "A real find of the season was Mario Lanza ..He would have no difficulty one day being asked to join the Metropolitan Opera." Lanza sang Nicolai's Fenton twice at Tanglewood, in addition to appearing there in a one-off presentation of Act III of
Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
's ''
La bohème ''La bohème'' ( , ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '':wikt:quadro, quadri'', ''wikt:tableau, tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto b ...
'' with the noted Mexican soprano Irma González, baritone James Pease, and mezzo-soprano Laura Castellano. Music critic Jay C. Rosenfeld wrote in ''The New York Times'' of August 9, 1942, "Irma González as Mimì and Mario Lanza as Rodolfo were conspicuous by the beauty of their voices and the vividness of their characterizations." In an interview shortly before her own death in 2008, González recalled that Lanza was "very correct, likeable, with a powerful and beautiful voice". Lanza's aspiring operatic career was interrupted in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
when he was assigned to Special Services in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He appeared in the wartime shows ''On the Beam'' and ''
Winged Victory The ''Winged Victory of Samothrace'', or the ''Niké of Samothrace'', is a Votive offering, votive monument originally discovered on the island of Samothrace in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Helleni ...
''. He also appeared in the film version of the latter (albeit as an unrecognizable member of the chorus). He resumed his singing career with a concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the
NBC Symphony Orchestra The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra conceived by David Sarnoff, the president of the Radio Corporation of America, the parent corporation of the National Broadcasting Company especially for the conductor Arturo Toscanini. The NBC ...
in September 1945 under Peter Herman Adler, who subsequently became his mentor. The following month, he replaced tenor Jan Peerce on the live
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
radio program ''Great Moments in Music'', on which he made six appearances in four months, singing extracts from various operas and other works. Lanza studied with Enrico Rosati for 15 months and then embarked on an 86-concert tour of the United States, Canada, and Mexico from July 1947 until May 1948 with bass George London and soprano Frances Yeend. Reviewing his second appearance at Chicago's Grant Park in July 1947 in the '' Chicago Sunday Tribune'', 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. 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 ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' for the New Orleans Opera Association conducted by Walter Herbert with stage director Armando Agnini. Reviewing the opening-night performance in the ''St. Louis News'' (April 9, 1948), Laurence Oden wrote "Mario Lanza performed ... Lieutenant 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, he was invited to return to New Orleans in 1949 as Alfredo in Verdi's '' La traviata''. But, as biographer Armando Cesari wrote, Lanza by 1949 "was already deeply engulfed in the Hollywood machinery and consequently never learned hat key mid-Verdi tenorrole." At the time of his death, Lanza was preparing to return to the operatic stage. Conductor Peter Herman Adler, with whom Lanza previously had worked both in concert and on the soundtrack of '' The Great Caruso'', visited the tenor in Rome during the summer of 1959 and later recalled that " anzawas working two hours a day with an operatic coach, and intended to go back to opera, his only true love." Adler promised the tenor "all possible help" in his "planning for his operatic future." In the October 14, 1959 edition of ''Variety'', it was reported that Lanza had planned to make his return to opera in the role of Canio in Leoncavallo's ''
Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, 'Clowns') is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...
'' during the Rome Opera's 1960–61 season. This was subsequently confirmed by Riccardo Vitale, artistic director of the Rome Opera.Cesari, Armando. ''Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy'', Baskerville (2004), p. 275. ''Variety'' also noted that preparations had been underway at the time of Lanza's death for him to participate in a series of complete opera recordings for RCA Victor to be recorded in Rome by RCA Italiana.


Film career

A concert at the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...
in August 1947 had brought Lanza to the attention of
Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been: * Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...
, who promptly signed Lanza to a seven-year film contract with
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
. The contract required him to commit to the studio for six months of the year, and Lanza initially believed he would be able to combine his film career with his operatic and concert appearances. In May 1949, he made his first commercial recordings for
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...
. Lanza's recording of the aria " Che gelida manina" (from '' La bohème'') from that first session was subsequently awarded the prize of Operatic Recording of the Year by the (United States) National Record Critics Association.


''The Toast of New Orleans''

Lanza's first two starring films, '' That Midnight Kiss'' and '' The Toast of New Orleans'', both opposite top-billed
Kathryn Grayson Kathryn Grayson (born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick; February 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010) was an American actress and coloratura soprano. From the age of 12, Grayson trained as an opera singer. She was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ...
, were commercial successes, and in 1950, his recording of "Be My Love" from the latter became the first of three million-selling singles for the young tenor, earning him enormous fame in the process. While at MGM, Lanza worked closely with Academy Award-winning conductor, composer, and arranger
Johnny Green John Waldo Green (October 10, 1908 – May 15, 1989) was an American songwriter, composer, musical arranger, conductor and pianist. He was given the nickname "Beulah" by colleague Conrad Salinger. His most famous song was one of his ear ...
. In a 1977 interview with Lanza biographer Armando Cesari, Green recalled that the tenor was insecure about the manner in which he had become successful and was keenly aware of the fact that he had become a Hollywood star before first having established himself on the operatic stage.
Had anzabeen already a leading tenor, if not ''the'' leading tenor at the Met opolitan Opera House and come to Hollywood in between seasons to make a picture, he would have had he security of havingthe Met as his home," Green remarked. According to Green, Lanza possessed "the voice of the next Caruso. anzahad an unusual, very unusual quality ... a tenor with a baritone color in the middle and lower registers, and a great feeling for the making of music. A great musicality. I found it fascinating, musically, to work with im


''The Great Caruso''

Lanza portrayed
Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyric tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles that r ...
in '' The Great Caruso'' (1951), which was MGM's biggest success of the year. At this time, the tenor's increasing popularity exposed him to intense criticism by some music critics, including those who had praised his work just a few years earlier. His portrayal of Caruso earned him compliments from the subject's son, Enrico Caruso Jr., a tenor in his own right. Shortly before his own death in 1987, Enrico Jr. wrote in ''Enrico Caruso: My Father and My Family'' (posthumously published in 1990) that:
I can think of no other tenor, before or since Mario Lanza, who could have risen with comparable success to the challenge of playing Caruso in a screen biography ... Lanza was born with one of the dozen or so great tenor voices of the century, with a natural voice placement, an unmistakable and very pleasing timbre, and a nearly infallible musical instinct.


''The Student Prince''

Lanza's next film for MGM, ''
Because You're Mine ''Because You're Mine'' is a 1952 American musical comedy film starring Mario Lanza. Directed by Alexander Hall, the film also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, and Bobby Van. Plot Opera singer superstar Renaldo Rossano (Mario Lanza) is ...
'' (1952) was another financial, if not critical success; Lanza felt the script was far inferior to ''The Great Caruso'', and he didn't want to make the film. Lanza's reputation for being temperamental and difficult began during this production. Later in 1952, Lanza was suspended and ultimately fired by MGM after he had recorded the songs for his next film, ''
The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in a prologue and four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play ''Old Heidelberg (play), Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a scor ...
'' (1954). The reason most frequently cited in the tabloid press at the time was that his 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 Curtis Bernhardt (15 April 1899 – 22 February 1981) was a German film director born in Worms, Germany, under the name Kurt Bernhardt. Career He trained as an actor in Germany, and performed on the stage, before starting as a film director in ...
over Lanza's performance of one of the songs in the film that led to Lanza walking off the set. MGM refused to replace Bernhardt, and the film was subsequently made starring British actor
Edmund Purdom Edmund Cutlar Purdom (19 December 19261 January 2009)
, who lip-synched to Lanza's dubbed singing voice. Depressed by his dismissal by MGM and with his self-confidence severely undermined, Lanza became a virtual recluse in his home for more than a year, frequently seeking refuge in alcoholic and eating binges. During this period, Lanza's lavish spending habits and poor financial decisions by his former manager had brought him to the brink of bankruptcy. Additionally, Lanza owed around $250,000 in unpaid taxes to the
IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
.


''Serenade''

Lanza returned to an active film career in ''
Serenade In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honour of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Ital ...
'' (1956), released by
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
However, the film was only a moderate financial success despite strong musical content, including arias from ''
Der Rosenkavalier (''The Knight of the Rose'' or ''The Rose-Bearer''), Op. 59, is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from Louvet de Couvrai's novel ''Les amours du cheva ...
'', ''
Fedora A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...
'', ''
L'arlesiana () is an opera in three acts by Francesco Cilea to an Italian libretto by Leopoldo Marenco. It was originally written in four acts, and was first performed on 27 November 1897 at the Teatro Lirico in Milan. It was revised as a three-act opera ...
'', and ''
Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on William Shakespeare, Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the La Scala, Teatro alla Scala, M ...
'', as well as the Act I duet from ''Otello'' with soprano Licia Albanese. In 1980, Mme. Albanese said of Lanza:
I had heard all sorts of stories about Mario. That his voice was too small for the stage, that he couldn't learn a score, that he couldn't sustain a full opera; in fact, that he couldn't even sing a full aria, that his recordings were made by splicing together various portions of an aria. None of it is true! He had the most beautiful lirico spinto voice. It was a gorgeous, beautiful, powerful voice. I should know because I sang with so many tenors. He had everything that one needs. The voice, the temperament, perfect diction. ... Vocally he was very secure. All he needed was coaching. Everything was so easy for him. He was fantastic!
In May 1957, Lanza moved to
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
where he starred in the film ''
Seven Hills of Rome The seven hills of Rome (, ) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city. Hills The seven hills are: * Aventine Hill (Latin: ''Collis Aventinus''; Italian: ''Aventino'') * Caelian Hill (''Coll ...
'' (1958), and returned to performing live in November of that year, appearing before
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
at the Royal Variety Show at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. From January to April 1958, Lanza gave a concert tour of the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany. He gave a total of 22 concerts on this tour, receiving mostly positive reviews for his singing. Despite a number of cancellations, which resulted from his poor health during this period, Lanza continued to receive offers for operatic appearances, concerts, and films. In September 1958, Lanza 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'' (1959). It was then that he came to the attention of that opera house's artistic director, Riccardo Vitale, who promptly offered the tenor ''carte blanche'' in his choice of operatic roles. Lanza also received offers to sing in any opera of his choosing from the San Carlo in Naples. During this time, however, the tenor's health was declining; Lanza was suffering from a variety of ailments, including
phlebitis Phlebitis (or venitis) is inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. It most commonly occurs in superficial veins. Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis (clotting inside blood vessels) and is then called thrombophlebitis or ...
and acute
high blood pressure Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...
. His old habits of
overeating Overeating occurs when an individual consumes more calories than the energy that is expended via physical activity or expelled via excretion, or when they consume food past the point of satiation, often leading to weight gain and often obesity. O ...
and crash dieting, coupled with
binge drinking Binge drinking, or heavy episodic drinking, is drinking alcoholic beverages with an intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time, but definitions vary considerably. Binge drinking is a style of ...
, compounded his problems.


Personal life

Lanza's friend Bert Hicks introduced him to his sister, Betty Hicks. Lanza and Betty began dating, and the couple were married by a judge at the Beverly Hills city hall on April 13, 1945. Later that year, on July 15, they had a religious ceremony at a Catholic church. They had four children: Coleen (born December 9, 1948),Vogel, Michelle, ''Children of Hollywood'', pages 65 - 66, McFarland, Inc., 2005 EllisaMannering, Derek, ''Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods'', page 193, University Press of Mississippi, 2015
/ref> (born December 3, 1950), Damon (born December 12, 1952), and Marc (born May 19, 1954).


Death

In April 1959, Lanza reportedly fell ill, mainly with heart problems as well as pneumonia. On September 25, 1959, he entered Rome's Valle Giulia clinic for the purpose of losing weight for an upcoming film. While in the clinic, he underwent 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. On October 7, Lanza died of an apparent
pulmonary embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an pulmonary artery, artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include dyspnea, shortness of breath, chest pain ...
at age 38. No autopsy was performed. Maria Caniglia, Franco Fabrizi, and
Enzo Fiermonte Enzo Fiermonte (17 July 1908 – 22 March 1993), sometimes credited as William Bird, was an Italian actor and boxer. Early life Vincenzo "Enzo" Fiermonte was born on 17 July 1908 in Casamassima, a rural village near Bari, in southern Italy to D ...
attended the funeral services in Rome.
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
sent his condolences by telegram. Lanza's body was returned to the United States and entombed in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in
Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights, Californi ...
. Lanza's wife Betty, died on March 11, 1960, just over 5 months later. The coroner's report stated that large amounts of seconal and alcohol were found in her system. Maria Lanza Cocozza, the tenor's mother was named the legal guardian of her four orphaned grandchildren.


Legacy


Musical legacy

Lanza was the first
RCA Victor Red Seal RCA Red Seal is a classical music label whose origin dates to 1902 and is currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment. History The first "Gramophone Record Red Seal" discs were issued in 1901.Caruso" after his "instant success" in Hollywood films,Cesari, Armando. ''Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy'', Baskerville Publishers (2004) p. 4. while MGM hoped he would become the movie studio's "singing
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...
" for his good looks and powerful voice.Fischer, Lucy; Landy, Marcia. ''Stars: The Film Reader'', Routledge (2004) p. 216. He was a big inspiration to fellow RCA Victor recording star
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
. A year after Lanza's death, Presley recorded an English translation of " O Sole Mio", which was popularized by Lanza. This song, " It's Now or Never", went on to be one of Presley's all-time best selling songs. In 1994,
José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Catalan operatic tenor from Spain who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, ...
paid tribute to Lanza during a worldwide concert tour, saying, "If I'm an opera singer, it's thanks to Mario Lanza."
Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...
stated, "Lanza's passion and the way his voice sounds are what made me sing opera. I actually owe my love for opera...to a kid from Philadelphia." Because Lanza appeared on the operatic stage only twice, many critics felt that he needed to have had more experience in major theaters before he could have been considered an opera star. His films, especially ''The Great Caruso'', influenced several future opera stars, including Joseph Calleja,
José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Catalan operatic tenor from Spain who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, ...
,
Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...
,
Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...
, and Vyacheslav Polozov.Mannering, Derek. ''Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods'', Univ. Press of Mississippi (2005) pp. xv–xvii. According to opera historian Clyde McCants, "Of all the Hollywood singers who performed operatic music...the one who made the greatest impact was Mario Lanza." Hollywood gossip columnist
Hedda Hopper Elda Furry (May 2, 1885February 1, 1966), known professionally as Hedda Hopper, was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, more than 35 million people read her columns. A strong supporter of the Hous ...
concluded that "there had never been anyone like Mario, and I doubt whether we shall ever see his like again".


Portrayal on screen and stage

A 90-minute PBS documentary, '' Mario Lanza: The American Caruso'', hosted by
Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...
and featuring Lanza's family and professional associates, was released in 1983, and nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series or Special that same year. In October 2007, Charles Messina directed the musical ''Be My Love: The Mario Lanza Story'', written by Richard Vetere and produced by Sonny Grosso and
Phil Ramone Philip Rabinowitz (January 5, 1934March 30, 2013), better known as Phil Ramone, was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, and co-founder of A & R recording studio. Its success led to expansion ...
, about Lanza's life. It premiered at The Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Greenvale, New York.


Monuments and honors

* Mario Lanza Boulevard is a roadway in the Eastwick section of Lanza's native Philadelphia. * The Mario Lanza Institute and Museum, which honors Lanza's legacy and also provides scholarships to young singers, is located at 1214 Reed Street in South Philadelphia. * Philadelphia's Queen Street Park was renamed for Lanza in 1967. * A Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission marker was placed to mark the home at 636 Christian Street in South Philadelphia where Lanza was born after it was demolished. In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the
Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. * Lanza was awarded two Stars on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
: a Star for Recording at 1751 Vine Street, and a Star at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard for Motion Pictures.Profile
walkoffame.com. Accessed October 2, 2024.


Filmography


Box office ranking

At the height of his career, Lanza was voted by exhibitors as being among the most popular stars in the country: * 1951 – 13th most popular (US), 10th (UK) * 1952 – 23rd (US), 6th (UK)


Select discography

: Studio albums * '' That Midnight Kiss'' (1949) * '' Operatic Arias and Duets as Sung in "The Toast of New Orleans"'' (1950) * '' Mario Lanza Sings Popular Songs from the M-G-M Technicolor Motion Picture "The Toast of New Orleans"'' (1950) * '' Mario Lanza Sings Selections from "The Great Caruso"'' (1951) *'' Mario Lanza Sings Christmas Songs'' (1951) * '' Mario Lanza Sings Songs from M-G-M's Technicolor Motion Picture "Because You're Mine"'' (1952) * '' Mario Lanza Sings the Hit Songs from "The Student Prince" and Other Great Musical Comedies'' (1954) * '' Mario Lanza in "Serenade"'' (1956) * ''
Seven Hills of Rome The seven hills of Rome (, ) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city. Hills The seven hills are: * Aventine Hill (Latin: ''Collis Aventinus''; Italian: ''Aventino'') * Caelian Hill (''Coll ...
'' (1958) * '' For the First Time'' (1959)


References


Further reading

* Iodice, Emilio, ''"A Kid from Philadelphia, Mario Lanza, the Voice of the Poets,"'' Createspace, New York, 2013 * Studwell, William E. "Mario Lanza". In ''The Italian American Experience: An Encyclopedia'', ed. Salvatore J. LaGumina (New York: Garland, 2000) 332–33. * Lanza, Damon & Dolfi, Bob. ''Be My Love: A Celebration of Mario Lanza''. Chicago, IL, 1999. . * Mannering, Derek. ''Mario Lanza; A Biography''. London: Hale 1991. * Strait, Raymond & Robinson, Terry. ''Lanza: His Tragic Life''. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1980. * Bernard, Matt. ''Mario Lanza''. New York: Macfadded-Bartel, 1971. * Callinicos, Constantine. ''The Mario Lanza Story''. New York, NY, 1960. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 60-12480. * Bessette, Roland L. ''Mario Lanza: Tenor In Exile''. Portland, OR. .


External links


Mario Lanza, Tenor
– Essays, videos, rare recordings, discography and forum.
Mario Lanza biography at Opera Vivrà

Lanza Legend
* * *
MarioLanza.net
Hosted by
Jeff Rense Jeffry Shearer Rense is an American Internet radio talk-show host. His show, the ''Jeff Rense Program'', was broadcast via satellite radio and is now produced at his home in Ashland, Oregon and streamed through his personal website. Rense's p ...
.
of the Tenor/Mario Lanza/Sound Clips and Narration
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lanza, Mario 1921 births 1959 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male stage actors American operatic tenors American people of Italian descent American tenors Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Classical musicians from Pennsylvania Deaths from pneumonia in Lazio Deaths from pulmonary embolism Male actors from Philadelphia Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Military personnel from Philadelphia Opera crossover singers People of Molisan descent RCA Victor artists Singers from Philadelphia South Philadelphia High School alumni Tanglewood Music Center alumni Traditional pop music singers United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers People of Abruzzese descent