Customer Reviews

Mario Lanza Live from London

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Maestro Lanza sang beautifully in this recital! Must have it in your Lanza disc collecton. He was still in top form even though the end was drawing to a close! Superb!

I saw opera for the first time through Lanza's movie The Great Caruso. Since then I became a Lanza fan. As I myself a "dilettante" tenor when taking solfeo lessons in my youth I was told never to try singing like Mario Lanza because it would hurt my voice. The reason given was that Lanza voice was specially engineered in the recording studio. This record shows what I always believe. Lanza voice was not only exceptional but that recorded live does not allow for "special" effects. His voice and his films are unforgettable. Pity he died too young when he was getting ready to move into performing opera in the great theaters of the world. I advise the new generation to listen to this record and enjoy one of the most beautiful voices of the 20th Century.

From the opening bars of the beautiful Lamento di Federico, it's immediately apparent that Lanza was in great voice in this 1958 concert. True, Lanza's voice at this stage was too dark for the delicate lyricism of the Lamento, but it's a thrilling rendition nonetheless, complete with Lanza's interpolated high B.

This is the later Lanza voice, a much more baritonal sound than the Mario of the MGM period, but with that effortless top still firmly in place. The encore Because You're Mine displays a breathtaking B-flat finish that sends his audience into a frenzy. Other highlights include a poignant Tell Me, Oh Blue, Blue Sky and a surprisingly nimble Gia, il sole del gange, in which he lightens his tone effectively. The concert is a must-have, if only because it demonstrates Lanza's extraordinary versatility and his unique manner of "working" an audience.

Be warned, however, that this is not Lanza at his most subtle. If you're looking for the best of the later Mario, check out his masterful Mario! Lanza At His Best CD. Lanza did not want this concert released on disc, and from all accounts he gave far better performances at other concerts in this period in both Britain and Germany. Unfortunately, this is the only record we have of his final concert tour.

Having said that, the CD is still essential listening for anyone interested in a unique vocal talent. Even at his roughest,this is compelling singing of the highest order, and allowance should be made for the fact that it is a live performance. The sound quality is excellent. Warn your neighbours before putting this on - this is singing to rattle the teacups!

This was the golden age of music with the voice of the century in the performance of a lifetime. This disc will forever change your appreciation of the human voice. This is the singer who made opera lovers out of the bobby-soxers and movie goers out of the operaphiles. There never was an artist with such a combination of gifts in the history of recorded music-and it all came together that special night. There are operatic arias, Broadway show tunes, and even a piece that brings the audience to laughter. Mario's introductions display his warmth and humor. The piano accompanist and the hall's accoustics are excellent and the recording quality is as good as any from this era. I believe that live recordings can bring out the best in a singer and this disc proves me correct. Oh, to have been a member of that audience! While we may speculate on what would have been, let us be thankful for what we have. Number one on that list is this disc.

Recitals are the ultimate tightrope act for any vocalist. It is you, a piano and your audience. Never is a performer more naked and exposed. There IS no net when you do a recital. No props, no large orchestra, no sets, no chorus, no costumes and no prompters to draw attention away from the performer. You have a bullseye on yourself from the moment you walk on that stage until you take your last bow and leave. Seeing how late this was in Mario's career before his untimely death and all the disasters, disappointments, stage fright and ill health that plagued him took their toll, it is a miracle this recital is as good as it is. This is "Dark Mario" of the "SERENADE" period when the voice took on more weight and a darker color. And he does not disappoint. I wish the recital had more German and French songs and a song cycle to show his versatility, but that is a small quibble when a voice of this quality is on display. It IS fun to hear him do some material from "24 Italian Songs And Arias" along with some new material instead of rehashing all his movie hits and arias from those films. His banter with the audience is very natural and sincere. I cannot praise this disc enough and I often find myself pulling this off the shelf more than his studio recordings because this is Mario without all the bells, whistles, big orchestras and studio gimmicks. This is a great recording that helps cement the fact that he was a legitimate performer with an outstanding set of pipes and not just a studio creation like so many "artists" today.

In this concert, Mario Lanza established good repoire with his audience the moment he stepped out on the stage in Royal Albert Hall, remarking "Is this real?". I think it is one of the largest concert halls in the world. One person reviewing this concert complains about there being no orchestra accompanying Lanza, just a piano. But this does make for an intimate recital concert directly to his fans. In the recital form of a concert, you don't usually have an orchestra. It is a voice recital uppermost, and shows off the voice, and what a supreme voice Lanza had. What a great loss to the world of music when he died prematurely!

The songs chosen here are fine but Mario sings with only a piano to back him up and this is the downfall of this CD.

If there was at least a small combo backing him up then this CD would be worth the money.

Instead it is too musically lacking and Mario's voice can't save it!