Fred: this is an early bio - I've had it several years.

My Dear Dan Marine: As regards AT being totally right in the interpretation of composers' music here is what Maxime Freccia, a longtime friend of his has to say in his "The Sounds of Memory", a book replete with names-dropping but in a most inoffensive way: "Many books have touched on the Maestro's strict observance of the score. This is fallacious. ... In Beethoven's 9th Symphony the modifications in the 1st, 2nd and last (5th?) movements reveal his obsession with the best realisation of the composer's meaning. [He went on to touch on Debussy's 'La Mer'.] ... He could not admit that an interpretative message could be carried through by an imperfectly orchestrated score." So even the most illustrious did take liberties with a score. MF has a lot of amusing things to say about practically all of the illustrious conductors, renowned soloists, and even some famous composers that he associated with in the 1940's to the 1950's. I am bemused that AT could hum and conduct the music at the same time. Needless to say, I was more intrigued by the hum than the thump of the music but could never make out what he was going on about. MF was silent on this. Best regards.

Diane: Yes, please. I was thinking of buying Pav's bio, but haven't gotten around to it, as yet. Is that the book by Herbert Breslin?? Thank you. Ciao.

Fred: I also have an extra bio of Pavarotti if you'd like it too. Let me know.

Newest CD Greatest hits; released june 23
 Song Title Artist Time Price
   1. Be My Love (From "The Toast Of New Orleans") Mario Lanza;Ray Sinatra 3:28 $0.99
   2. Song Of India Mario Lanza 3:59 $0.99
   3. O Sole Mio Mario Lanza 3:55 $0.99
   4. Serenade (From "The Student Prince") (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza;Constantine Callinicos 3:41 $0.99
   5. La Bohème/Act I/Che Gelida Manina (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza;Constantine Callinicos 4:59 $0.99
   6. My Heart Stood Still Mario Lanza 3:16 $0.99
   7. And This Is My Beloved (From "Kismet") Mario Lanza;Irving Aaronson 3:17 $0.99
   8. Come Prima (From "For The First Time") (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza 3:25 $0.99
   9. Fedora/Amor Ti Vieta (1999 Remastered) Mario Lanza;Constantine Callinicos 1:13 $0.99
 10. You Do Something To Me Mario Lanza 2:22 $0.99
 11. The Loveliest Night Of The Year Mario Lanza 3:10 $0.99
 12. Ave Maria (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza 2:46 $0.99
 13. Night And Day (From "Gay Divorce") Mario Lanza 3:41 $0.99
 14. Rigoletto/La Donna È Mobile (Remastered 1999) Mario Lanza 2:09 $0.99
 15. Drink, Drink, Drink (From "The Student Prince") (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza;Constantine Callinicos 3:14 $0.99
 16. Santa Lucia (1993 Remastered) Mario Lanza 2:59 $0.99
 17. Because You're Mine (From "Because You're Mine") (1991 Remastered) Mario Lanza;Constantine Callinicos 3:28 $0.99
 18. I'll See You In My Dreams Mario Lanza 2:38 $0.99
 19. L'Arlesiana/Lamento Di Federico (Remastered - 1999) Mario Lanza 3:49 $0.99
 20. I'll Walk With God Mario Lanza 2:52 $0.99

Thumbnail sketch from amazon.com
Dubbed by Arturo Toscannini "the greatest voice of the 20th century," Mario Lanza was one of America's most successful singers and movie stars in the years immediately following World War II. Born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza on January 31, 1921 in Philadelphia, he was the son of Italian immigrants, adopting his stage name from the masculine form of his mother's maiden name, Maria Lanza. From the age of 15, he studied to be a professional vocalist, later signing to Columbia Artistes Management as a concert singer; however, his career took a left turn in 1943, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Billed as "the Service Caruso," Lanza performed for his fellow infantrymen and also sang in the production Winged Victory; upon his return from duty, he relocated to New York, where he performed concert dates and appeared on radio. One of his audition tapes found its way to MGM's Hollywood studios, and after MGM chief Louis B. Mayer subsequently saw Lanza perform live, he signed the singer to a seven-year contract.

After making his first -- and final -- appearance on the professional opera stage in 1948 in the New Orleans Opera's production of Madame Butterfly, Lanza made his MGM debut the following year in The Midnight Kiss, scoring a hit with the soundtrack's "Celeste Aida." The Toast of New Orleans followed, launching his first million-selling hit, "Be My Love." In 1951 Lanza starred as his idol in the biopic The Great Caruso, scoring another million seller with "The Loveliest Night of the Year." In 1951 he mounted his own CBS radio series, and the following year starred in Because You're Mine; the title song, penned by Sammy Cahn and Nicholas Brodszky, earned an Academy Award nomination, and became Lanza's third and final million-selling effort.

After completing the music for the MGM production of The Student Prince, Lanza walked out on the project; by allowing the studio to retain rights to the recordings, he was able to avoid a breach of contract lawsuit, with the single "The Drinking Song" rising to the top of the U.S. charts. In the wake of his walkout Lanza became a recluse, disappearing from the limelight for over a year while battling addictions to food, alcohol and tranquilizers; he also faced a series of battles with the IRS. Finally, in 1956 he resumed his film career in the Warner Bros. production Serenade; however, the next year, disillusioned with American life, he moved to Italy, settling in Rome to star in 1958's The Seven Hills of Rome. That same year Lanza toured the U.K., making one final film, For the First Time. He died on October 7, 1959; while officially recorded as a heart attack, his passing was later rumored to have been a Mafia hit ordered following his refusal to perform at the request of mob boss Lucky Luciano. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

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Dan: I only smoked one cigarette in my life. I choked and figured my body was trying to tell me something! No offence to smokers, but I am happy that so many restaurants have banned it. Clean air can now prevail and we don't have to breathe in secondary smoke. Ex-smokers feel that way too.

On the positive side (if indeed this is positive!), many singers used to be told to smoke so that they can bear singing in clubs that are smoke filled. Otherwise, their singing quality could be affected. Whether Sinatra, Dino, and Sammy started for that reason or on their own, I don't know. Obviously Mario started before he was professionally singing.

It has always amazed me that smoking didn't negatively affect the beautiful voices some of our favorite vocalists had. Can anyone point out examples of vocalists whose voices were affected by smoke? In Sammy's case, the smoke was probably the reason for his throat cancer. I still bemoan the fact that he refused an operation, saying he would rather die if he could not sing.

Edited by author 07-03-2009 08:44 AM
martino great photos..the grandson strongly resembles pippo.lol smoking n singing sounds like the odd couple but realy isnt..sinatra dean martin sammy davis all heavy smokers as well as caruso...lanza smoked n there are several photos of him from age 15 onword with a cigarette in hand.the beer steins look like they hold 24 oz of the stuff..ill take the red wine anyday of course with my non filters.

Interesting pics, Martino!
I don´t want at all interrupt the topics you have started and will try to come back on Anders etc. but I have found a sensational example of what is possible with a flawless vocal technique. It is John van Kesteren performing "Dalla sua pace" - at 80 years!!! This Dutch tenor is born 1921. He died last year. Please enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbomdoUS2SU

DiStefano with Callas. Does smoking and beer drinking hurt a voice?

DiSefano as Jenek in The Bartered Bride (sung in Italian as La Sposa Venduta)

DiStefano with children and grand children

DiSefano as Maurizio

DiStefano as Don Jose, with Simionato as Carmen

I know you are a photo junkie and I just found a number of pictures of Giuseppe DiStefano I have not seen before. Perhaps you and others have never seen them either. I'll post a few above.

Every so often I take one hour out of my day just for the specific purpose to listen to singers I have not heard for some time. Today, I decided on a seldom discussed German tenor, Peter Anders. I have only one LP and one CD of Anders, the LP is strickly operetta (at which he excelled) and the disk is of opera arias. I chose several from each and was fondly taken back to a style, especially in the operetta excerpts, that is no longer heard today.

Anders had the kind of voice and technique that could sing anything and everything - and he did, from Tamino to Tannhauser. He was not as suave as Tauber nor quite as heroic and high flying as Helge Roswange but rather a compromise between the two, but taking the best parts from both. As was the practice of many German singers of his era, Anders recordings are almost all in his native language, be it a French or Italian opera made no difference, he would sing it in German.

I listened to arias from Pagliacci, Aida, Carmen and the first act duet from Madame Butterfly. They sounded awkward out of native language of course but the voice rang out clear and sure. I think his voice was best going no further dramatically than Canio or Radames as his venture into Wagner was not as successful, at least I thought so. I listened to "In Fernin Land" and two selections from Die Meistersinger. He sounded a tad strained with Wagner, even in the lyric "Lohengrin".

The operetta selections were all quite good and I listened to four or five songs. In this genre he could never match Tauber's style nor the vocal beauty of Wunderlich, but he could sing things these great tenors could not in opera and still do a good job of it at operetta. Anders had the misfortune of being popular during Hitler's time and he became a favorite of the Nazis. This hurt him a bit with international singing engagements when the war was over - people do not forget (or forgive) certain things and war time political orientation was one of them. He did not live a long life anyway as he was killed in an auto accident at age 46.

All in all a very fine tenor, with excellent technique, including a very fine pianissimo no less, good phrasing and a command of vocal dynamics. He was very much German sounding and no one would ever mistake him for Schipa. Although I agree with one reviewer who described his voice as "more correct than passionate", Peter Anders was a singer who deserves more recognition than he receives today. You can check him out on youtube if you wish where there are a number of selections and audio clips available.