Biography
"Voice of the Century", "Solar Guy from Philadelphia", "American Cairoso", as called the greatest tenor Mario Lanta, not only the fans and critics, but also inspired and pushed to the beginning of the opera career of Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Andrea Boocles. Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Renata Tebaldi, Muslim Magomayev, were a devotee of his talent.Childhood and youth
Italians are passionate people. And surpassed feelings after the first meeting are able to lead to the crown in just a few weeks. The 16-year-old Maria Lanz lightningly became the wife of the veteran of the First World Antonio Cocozza and in 2 years, on the last January day of 1921, presented the world of the future ingenious performer.
Parents taped Son Alfredo Arnoldo, at home called just Freddie. In the future, he took the name of the mother, converting it to the male version, and Maiden surname as a creative pseudonym. Up to 9 years old, the boy lived at 636 Christian Street, which became one of the main attractions of South Philadelphia - on the facade for a long time, a huge graffiti was concerned with the image of the singer. At the end of June 2018, Sad News came from there: the two-storey house was demolished. According to the construction plans, it was replaced by two buildings.
As a result of the move, it was necessary to change 3 schools, where the teachers unanimously noted the lack of the talent of the ward to the sciences, more in the sport. Once, in the field of view, Alfredo fell a family collection of plates Enrico Caruso, subsequently, who later became the musical pillar of Freddie - copying the singing of the opera genius, he learned the first Azam of the Execution. Many printed editions then gave the version of the mystical rebirth of the tenor - allegedly Lanz was born in the year of his death.
Soon the lessons of singing began to teach Antonio Scardozzo, after 8 months I was changed by Irene Williams, helping with the first performances in public. Mother Mary had to work immediately in several works to be able to pay the son of classes. Fate in the face of the concert manager of the local music academy killed Lanta. A man gave audition from the composer Sergei Kosvitsky, and he invested to reveal the talent of a teenager in his own educational institution.
In 1942, Mario called on the army, where singing classes not only did not stop, but, on the contrary, increased due to participation in patriotic performances and shows. At the end of the service, a happy acquaintance happened to Robert Wyd, who "dragged" Lantse on the radio and secured as a leading transfer for 5 months.
Music
And again in the life of Mario, the acquaintance played an important role - first with the new vocal teacher, subsequently transferred a talented ward in the hands of the first manager. And he, in turn, "Svet" with Enrico Rosati. For more than a year, success passed with conflicts, but as a result, Lanz carried their gratitude to the mentor for the transferred knowledge.
After the Canadian tour, the singer is enrolled in the "Belkanto Trio", the concert of which in Hollywood Bowl changed the fate of Mario. The speech was attended by the founder of MGM, not slowing to invite a musician with a magic voice to his own film studio for signing the contract.
Later, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer organized touring in support of the "midnight kiss". They were preceded by a premiere performance in the famous Opera "Madame Batterfly", which caused exceptionally positive and laudatory reviews of harsh critics. It was a proposal to try your hand in the "Traviate", but the movie absorbed the tenor fully and for a long time. At the end of the life of "American Caruso" returned to stage art, giving a series of concerts in 5 countries, and was preparing for the role of Canio in Palyachchi opera, but I did not have time to realize.
Films
The first film of Mario in MGM, where he got 72 hours after the fateful concert, was the "midnight kiss." As mentioned above, after an organized tour, the singer first participated in the commercial album records. Among the compositions - Aria from "Bohemia", Jacomo Puccini, who fell into the Hall of Glory RCA. The role in the "favorite of the New Orleans,", and especially the unpervasiated BE My Love, turned Lantse to the superstar at the moment when this term did not exist at all.In 1951, Mario became the tenor "squared" - on the screen he was lucky to transform into the "Great Caruso". Singer came to work with all seriousness: found and "swallowed" books and materials about the biography Enrico, studied his photographs, habits and preferences, manner of performance and gait. And the attached efforts brought their fruits: the compositions from the film was obtained by the status of a gold disk, an actor - praise son of the Cairoso and its own transmission, produced by Coca-Cola.
"Because you are mine" from the eponymous picture, plus the "Prayer of the Lord", the "song of angels" and "Granada" from there were proclaimed by real masterpieces. The shooting in the film "Prince-Student" began with the recording of a sound track, led to the first time. But soon the scandal happened: the director criticized the singer, he did not use the word in his pocket and ultimately left the film studio.
The dismissal followed, the payment of a solid penalty, the prohibition of concerts, which was a tenor. Soothing he tried to search in alcohol. Later in the cinema, the actor still returned, but at Warner Bros, a proposed role in Serenade. Here he himself chose songs for the film - so the world became acquainted with the impeccable Ave Maria.
After her, Mario began to record albums, went on tour, during which health was significantly exploded. Despite this, he continued his performances, work on films in MGM and moved to Italy.
Personal life
The army presented the Lanta not only true friendship with Berthe Hicks, but through him and the family - he often told the colleague about Elizabeth Jeannett and even demonstrated paintings written by her. One of them liked the guy so much that in the end after demobilization he went to New York to get acquainted with the girl personally.
Love covered with heads as well as Lanz's parents - barely seen each other, young people no longer parted. Wedding celebration took place on April 12, 1945, after a brief courtship. Later Betty presented four children's beloved husband: Mark and Damon's sons, Daughters Colleen and Ellis.
Death
On April 13, 1958, Lanz gave the last concert in public and plunged into shooting movies and record soundtracks to them. By August 1959, the state of health worsened: after the second heart attack and the inflammation of light tenor, they were hospitalized. However, the singer soon prescribed and returned to work.
The "Prayer of the Lord" recorded in early September was the last song of the ingenious Italian. At the end of the month, he again fell on a hospital bed with arterial sclerosis and threateningly high pressure. On October 6, Mario Segchalo, and the man even planned to be issued from the hospital. However, the next day it did not. The cause of death: an extensive heart attack.
Less than six months later, without having separated separations with her beloved husband and bulging longing, Betty died from the overdose of drugs. Mark and Damon, like their great father, died of heart attack.
Filmography
- 1959 - "Serenade of Big Love" ("For the first time")
- 1957 - "Seven Rome Hills" ("Goodbye, Rome")
- 1956 - "Serenade"
- 1954 - "Prince-Student"
- 1952 - "Because you are mine"
- 1951 - "Great Caruso"
- 1950 - "Loves of New Orleans"
- 1949 - "Midnight Kiss"
- 1944 - "Winged victory"
Discography
- 2007 - "The main hits of Mario Lance"
- 2004 - Serenade / Cavalcade Show Tunes
- 2004 - "Mario Lanz Concert in Hollywood Bowl"
- 1999 - "Mario Lance: Opera Arias and Duets"
- 1995 - "Mario Lanz in his best hits"
- 1994 - "Mario Lanz. Live From London »
- 1991 - "Collection of Mario Lance"
- 1989 - "Mario Lanz sings the song from Prince-Student
- 1989 - "Great Caruso" and other favorites "
- 1987 - "Christmas with Mario Lance"
- 1987 - "Mario Lanza: Legendary Tenor"