Listen to the 24-year-old Lanza in one of his earliest recordings in English. This is a live radio performance of the demanding "Ah, Moon of My Delight" from Lehmann's 1896 song cycle In a Persian Garden on CBS's "Great Moments in Music," 26 December 1945. The conductor is Georges Sebastian.
Lanza's recorded legacy consists of multiple versions in many instances. Where these occur, I have highlighted what I consider the best rendition(s) in bold. In most instances (irrespective of whether Lanza recorded the song once or multiple times), the best CD reproduction of the rendition can be located by "rolling over" the text.
Note: If you are new to Lanza, or simply want to hear him at his consistent best in the English-language repertoire, I would recommend the 2016/2017 Sepia Records CDsNever Till Now and One Alone. Full details about these releases can be found here and here.
1950 two versions: one RCA take and a much superior soundtrack recording for The Great Caruso [available on the 2016 and 2020 Sepia Records CDs Mario Lanza: Never Till Now and Mario Lanza: Classics]
1951 two versions: one RCA and one Coca-Cola Radio Show
Because You're Mine
(Brodszky-Cahn)
1951 three versions for Because You're Mine soundtrack--two of them as duets with Doretta Morrow, soprano
1952 two renditions for Coca-Cola Radio Show: the lesser version was commercially released and can be heard on You'll Never Walk Alone (BMG, 1995); the superior rendition is only available on the 2023 Sepia Records CD Mario Lanza: The Quintessential Tenor
1958One Alone (Sepia Records, 2017) Non-soundtrack version recorded for the official soundtrack album of For the First Time (the actual film version was only a partial take)
I’m Falling In Love With Someone
(from Naughty Marietta) (Herbert-Young)
1945 RCA test record
1945 Red Barber Review (live radio broadcast)
1951 two versions: Coca-Cola Radio Show
1958 two live versions: Royal Albert Hall recital and Saturday Spectacular TV Show
