Search - Gaetano Donizetti, Umberto Giordano, Giacomo Puccini :: Mario Lanza Live At The Hollywood Bowl: Historical Recordings (1947 & 1951)

One of the great performances of all time

05/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first six tracks of this CD capture Mario Lanza's legendary 1947 Hollywood Bowl debut. These recordings, by themselves, would rate 7 stars in my book. (The rest of the CD would probably merit about 2 stars, but those live tracks are worth the ridiculously low price of this collection many times over.) Renowned baritone George London, Lanza's frequent singing partner, later said he never heard Mario sing better than he did that night, and it would be hard to disagree with him. Lanza, on the eve of signing his contract with MGM, was at the peak of his vocal discipline, fresh off 15 months of training with Enrico Rosati. And while his interpretive abilities may have not reached their full potential, then or ever, the voice itself was magnificent: brilliant, rich and indescribably glorious. The concert opens with "Una furtiva lagrima," by Donizetti, which, if somewhat raw, is certainly more refined and lyrical than his later studio recording. His phrasing of "Cielo, si puo morir" can bring tears to my eyes. Next up is a thrilling rendition of "Un di all'azzuro spazio" from ANDREA CHENIER. Lanza's performance of this aria is as good as any I've ever heard, including Caruso's. He positively caresses the phrase "Su dalla terra a la mia fronte veniva una ca'rezza viva," then passionately spits out the aria's middle section: "un uom vi calunniave bestemmiando il suolo che l'erario a pena sazia e contro a Dio scagliava, e contro a li uomini le lagrime dei figli!" Lanza's vocal tone, in this performance, was more focused than it was in his later recording of this aria, and his later recordings in general, and the effect is very impressive to those who have only heard his studio recordings. Then, for an encore, he sings "E lucevan le stelle," from TOSCA by Puccini, another aria which, in my opinion, Lanza sang as well if not better than anyone. True, he does not sing the pianissimo like Gigli or Di Stefano, but then neither did Caruso or Domingo. In fact, to my way of thinking Lanza's interpretation is more in character with a man who is about to die: it is not a simple love song but a cry of desperation. Next come three gorgeous duets with Frances Yeend, a singer with limited interpretive abilities but a rich, full voice. On the duet from LA TRAVIATA, Lanza showcases a wonderful legato line, and the timing of the two singers is nearly perfect. By this time in the concert, Lanza's voice had reached its peak of richness and beauty. The love duet from MADAME BUTTERFLY that follows is a positive tour de force: I have never heard a more exciting and musical performance: neither singer allows interpretation to get in the way of the melody, which is always a good idea with Puccini. Lanza is at his most passionate here, and his high C at the end is devastating. Yeend would later say that Lanza's singing was "Always thrilling. . .he never spared the horses," and this duet is a good example. Finally, a tasteful and lovely rendition of the duet from LA BOHEME closes out the show, with the richness of each singer's voice on full display. Lanza sings the line "Dammi il braccio mia piccina" as romantically as anyone, and the interplay between the two singers is nearly perfect. This is a performance for the ages: anyone who loves Italian opera and especially great tenor singing should love this album. The rest of the album is pretty much a waste, except for an interesting version of "A Vuchella" in which Lanza does his best Gigli impression. Notably, this album contains possibly the worst version of any song I have ever heard: an English language rendition of "Funiculi funicula" that is positively dreadful, although you can't really blame that on Lanza's singing."

Buy this for the first six tracks only!

D. MCGOVERN | New Zealand | 08/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains both the very best and the very worst of the vastly underrated Mario Lanza. First things first, ignore the absurdly inaccurate liner notes. Lanza did NOT have a small voice - indeed fellow musicians who sang with him often remarked that it was a huge and powerful instrument. Lanza's voice did not "crack down" in his last years, as the liner notes writer asserts; rather it was his health that "cracked down" in the final year of his life.These recordings, however, demonstrate the tenor in the full bloom of health. The outstanding selections are tracks 1-6, which come from his extraordinary Hollywood Bowl debut in 1947. You'll never hear a better Lanza rendition of the Madama Butterfly Love Duet (with soprano Frances Yeend) than the one included here. This is sensitive AND passionate singing of the highest order, and listening to this rendition today it is not surprising that MGM signed the tenor up for a movie career the very next day. All six selections are outstanding, and many will be surprised by the beautiful legato Lanza employs in the difficult Parigi, O Cara from La Traviata.The six initial tracks are more than worth the price of the CD, and make up for the shortcomings of the remaining selections, all of which come from Lanza's Coca-Cola radio show of 1951-52. The latter tracks show the tenor at his commercial worst. Diane is an abomination, and there are several other selections that should never have seen the light of day. Fortunately, however, there are a few nuggets among the dross, and "If" is a most attractive and exciting performance. The sound is not brilliant on the Coke Show selections (these are not the pristine BMG recordings, and all come with overlaid applause tracks). Ironically, the live Hollywood Bowl selections have much better sound.But don't let the "Coke" numbers put you off buying this CD. The Hollywood Bowl concert is a masterpiece, and should be required listening for all who scoff at this "movie tenor"."

A Rare Find!

Billy Spargo | Narragansett RI | 12/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The "Live From London" is my favorite cd and this is a close second. I usually listen to the Bowl selections only and save the Coca-Cola radio program for another time. The recording quality is not the best, but this is a wonderful sourvenir of the young singer in excellent voice and delivery at the begining of his career. The selections with soprano Frances Yeend are a wonderful addition since there are few recorded "live concert" Lanza duets available outside of this venue (there are recordings of his later Bowl appearances you may want to check out). Mario's introductions show his warmth and humor. It was at this concert that MGM took notice and his career moved to the movie studios. We are fortunate to have this recording. One of the highlights of the Coke show program is Mario's introduction to the "Our Father". Disregard the liner notes. For value delivered, this cd rates five stars!"