Vincent Di Placido has just uploaded a documentary he has made about another pivotal moment in Mario Lanza's career: the tenor's triumphant return to live performing after a long absence from the concert stage and a two-year period of professional turmoil.

Vince's documentary is partly based on my article Confounding the Enemy, but he takes my essay to a whole new level with his superb (and often moving) editing of audio and visuals, while also providing a powerful introduction that provides genuine historical context to this event. 

​A must watch!  

Vince Di Placido is an indispensable member of the online Lanza community---as highly regarded for his superb video presentations of Lanza's legacy as he is for his musical knowledge and the intelligence he brings to discussions on the tenor.

All of these qualities are to the fore in his latest video: a magnificent in-depth tribute to the great Mario! album of Neapolitan songs that Lanza recorded in December 1958.    

The commercial recordings on this 74-minute CD were sourced from the best-available pre-1963 vinyl releases that Vince Di Placido and I could find, while the two non-commercial recordings featured here—--"Granada" and "Because"—--were drawn, respectively, from the optical track of a late 1950s film print of Because You're Mine and a 1959 RAI radio programme ("La Mia Vita per il Canto"). All have been lovingly remastered by Sepia's resident sound engineer, Robin Cherry.
The CD also includes a generously filled booklet of detailed liner notes and several rare photos. 
Mario Lanza: Classics is available from 7 February 2020 at Amazon and all the other usual online outlets. This is the link for Amazon UK and here is the US Amazon link. ​
The following is a description of the CD, taken directly from my liner notes:

This CD brings together Lanza’s most popular recordings, including his three million-selling singles (all making their first appearance on this label), his Top 20 chart successes in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and the highlights from his two best-selling albums, The Great Caruso and The Student Prince. It also includes a representative sampling of the tenor at his vocal and stylistic zenith in multiple genres, with definitive renditions of everything from an Edwardian parlour song (“Because”) to five Neapolitan classics. As such, this CD serves as both the perfect introduction to the art and voice of Mario Lanza and—for his existing admirers—an unusually convenient compilation of many of his greatest recordings. 

MARIO LANZA: CLASSICS
1   Granada   (Lara)    (Lanza's 3rd and final version, recorded in 1951)        
​2   Be My Love (Brodszky-Cahn)                                                                                                      
3   Because     (d’Hardelot-Teschemacher)                                                                                             
4   The Loveliest Night of the Year (Aaronson-Webster-after Rosas)                                                  
5   Some Day (Friml-Hooker)                                                                                                            
6   The Lord’s Prayer (Malotte)    (RCA)                                                                                                     
7   Because You’re Mine (Brodszky-Cahn)   (RCA)                                                                                      
8   Serenade (from The Student Prince) (Romberg-Donnelly-Webster)  (MGM)                                            
9   Drink! Drink! Drink! (Romberg-Donnelly)   (MGM)                                                                                    
10  Beloved     (Brodszky-Webster)     (1953 version)
11  Mamma Mia, Che Vò Sapé? (Nutile-Russo)  (RCA)                                                                                
12  Voce ’e Notte (De Curtis-Nicolardi)                                                                             
13  Canta pe’ Mme! (De Curtis-Bovio)    (RCA)                                                                        
14  ’Na Sera ’e Maggio (Cioffi-Pisano)   (RCA)                                                                      
15  Sadko (adapted): Song of India (Rimsky-Korsakov; adapted Mercer)                                        
16  Tosca: Recondita armonia (Puccini-Giacosa-Illica)   (RCA)                                                                    
17  La bohème: Che gelida manina (Puccini-Giacosa-Illica)  (RCA)
18  Martha: M’apparì (Von Flotow-Riese)                                                                                             
19  Tosca: E lucevan le stelle (Puccini-Giacosa-Illica)   (RCA)                                                                    
BONUS TRACKS
20  Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod)   (RCA)                                                                                                     
21  Serenade (Drigo)   (RCA)                                                                                                                      
22  Tell Me, Oh Blue Blue Sky (Giannini-Flaster)   (Live from the Royal Albert Hall)                                          23  Passione (Tagliaferri-Valente-Bovio)                                                                            ​

I'm delighted to report that London-based Sepia Records will soon be releasing another Mario Lanza CD compilation: its sixth (!) in three years. 

Titled Poetry and Passion, this CD differs from the previous five Sepia compilations in that it doesn't focus on one particular musical genre. Instead, it offers examples of Lanza in top form in every genre in which he excelled: opera, operetta, musical theatre, Neapolitan song, and popular song. An eclectic compilation, to be sure, but one that's full of surprises and consistently rewarding, delivering exactly what its title promises.

As with the previous five Sepia releases, the CD was compiled (for love, not money) by Armando Cesari, Vince Di Placido, Carmel Parisi, Lee Ann Cafferata and yours truly, and expertly remastered by Robin Cherry. Indeed, many of the recordings have never sounded better, despite being sourced from an assortment of vinyl, private tapes and acetates. The same care has gone into the CD booklet, which is beautifully presented with copious notes and several rare photos. 
​
Poetry and Passion is now available directly (and economically for those outside of the UK) from Sepia Records, and will be released by Amazon and other online sellers on February 9, 2018. 

UPDATE (5 Feb 2018): Lindsay Perigo has posted this glowing review of the CD on his web site.

MARIO LANZA: POETRY AND PASSION
1   Earthbound (Taylor-Richardson-Musel) Recorded 10 August 1956
2   Wonder Why (Brodszky-Cahn) 21 August 1951
3   The Bayou Lullaby (Brodszky-Cahn) 29 June 1950
4   Beautiful Love (King-Young-Van Alstyne-Gillespie) 24 April 1952
5   Tell Me Tonight (Spoliansky-Eyton) 15 February 1952
6   The Rosary (Nevin-Rogers) 23 August 1951
7   The Song Angels Sing (Aaronson-Webster, adapted from Brahms) 24 July 1952
8   The Thrill Is Gone (Henderson-Brown) 29 November 1951
9   My Destiny (Brodszky-Cahn) 21 July 1955    [Introduced by Lanza]
10  Younger Than Springtime (Rodgers-Hammerstein) 7 November 1957
11  Thoughts Will Come Back to Me (Romberg-Donnelly) April 1959
12  Nocturne (Friml-Hooker-Post) July 1959
13  Lygia (Rózsa-Webster) 16 December 1951
14  Come Prima (For the First Time) (Di Paola-Taccani-Ram) September 1958
15  ¡Ay, ay, ay! (Freire) 3 December 1951 
16  Maria Marí’ (Di Capua-Russo) December 1958 
17  Ave Maria (Schubert) 18 August 1955    [film outtake with piano]
18  L’Arlesiana: È la solita storia (Cilea-Marenco) 16 Jan. 1958  [live: Royal Albert Hall]
19  Otello: Niun mi tema (Verdi-Boito) September 1958
BONUS TRACKS
20  Pagliacci: Un tal gioco (Leoncavallo) May 1952  [private recording]
21  Andrea Chénier: Un dì all’azzurro spazio (Giordano-Illica) April 1952  [private recording]
22  I’m Falling in Love with Someone (Herbert-Young) 18 January 1958 [live performance: British TV]
23  Only a Rose (Friml-Hooker-Post) July 1959  ["Raw" acetate: a revelation!]

The ad, which is titled See you in the Future, is a romantic piece of time travel whimsy, in which Brody's character emerges from his 1959 apartment in Milan to find himself in a present-day version of the city, where he is soon smitten with a young woman, played by Italian actress Anna Manuelli.

There are currently three versions of the ad, ranging in length from 2 minutes and 20 seconds to more than 4 and a half minutes. The ad is being screened not only on TV in a two-and-a-half-minute version, but also on the internet, in cinemas, and in public places and on public transportation in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, Portugal and Poland. In short, its potential audience is massive. 
​
Lanza's only surviving child, Ellisa Lanza Bregman, gave her permission for her father's recording to be used in the ad.

Update (9 July 2017): My friend Stefanie Walzinger of Germany has just alerted me to a completely different 30-second ad, in which the characters played by Brody and Manuelli attend a screening of For the First Time together. This latest ad cannot be viewed outside of Europe, unfortunately (though it's worth keeping an eye out for on YouTube).  

The material for this CD was chosen by Armando Cesari, Vincent Di Placido, Carmel Parisi, Lee Ann Cafferata and yours truly. As with the previous Sepia CDs we have worked on (Greatest Operatic Recordings, Vol. 1 and 2, My Italian Soul, and Never Till Now), none of us has any financial involvement in this project; it was strictly a labour of love.

One Alone will be available from all the usual online outlets on 10 February 2017.

UPDATE (10 January 2017): One Alone is available now from Sepia Records for between £7.99 and £8.99 (postage included) for PayPal users. For those wishing to purchase the CD from other online sellers, such as Amazon, the release date is still 10 February.


MARIO LANZA: ONE ALONE
1   They Didn’t Believe Me (Kern-Reynolds) Recorded (day/month/year) 23/8/49                  
2   The World Is Mine Tonight (Posford-Marvell) 10/7/51                                            
3   Wanting You (Romberg-Hammerstein-Mandel-Schwab) 20/7/51                                            
4   I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Porter) 24/7/51 [with previously unreleased spoken introduction]
5   Night and Day (Porter) 14/8/51 [with previously unreleased spoken introduction]
6   Roses of Picardy (Wood-Weatherley) 29/11/51
7   One Night of Love (Schertzinger-Kahn) 5/12/51                                                   
8   Your Eyes Have Told Me So (Blaufuss-Kahn-Van Alstyn) Early December 1951
9   Sylvia (Speaks-Scollard) Early December 1951                                                              
10 I’ll See You Again (Coward) 29/1/52                                                   
11 Romance (Leslie-Donaldson) 1/2/52 [with spoken introduction]
12 The Trembling of a Leaf (Green-Lawrence) 4/3/52                                              
13 Yesterdays (Kern-Harbach) 6/3/52                                                           
14 The Moon Was Yellow (Ahlert-Leslie) 20/3/52 [with previously unreleased spoken introduction]
15 Golden Days (Romberg-Donnelly) 31/7/52                                                        
16 Will You Remember? (Romberg-Young) 27/8/56
17 Behold! (Moore-Reed) 15/4/57                                                             
18 Arrivederci Roma (Rascel-Sigman) 7/11/57 [English-language version]
19 I Love Thee (Grieg) September 1958
20 One Alone (Romberg-Harbach-Hammerstein-Mandel) September 1959  [remastered "raw" acetate]
BONUS TRACKS
21 The Lord’s Prayer (Malotte) Performed live on 19/12/48 (NBC radio broadcast)
22 Tell Me, Oh Blue, Blue Sky (Giannini-Flaster) Recorded sometime in 1952  [private home recording]
23 Love Me Tonight (Friml-Hooker) July 1959                                                       
24 Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life (Herbert-Young) 27/7/51 ​[with spoken introduction]

Derek Mannering, author of Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods, has announced that a new Lanza documentary will be released on DVD in the UK in March 2017. The 82-minute documentary, Mario Lanza: The Best of Everything, has been written, produced and directed by Alan Byron of Screenbound Entertainment, a group specializing in bios of various musical personalities. 

Derek Mannering, who was closely involved with the production, has provided this link to the impressive-looking teaser trailer.

Great to see that leading tenor Joseph Calleja is featured in this documentary. 

UPDATE (31 January 2017): Derek Mannering has further announced that a 2-CD set of songs and arias, also entitled Mario Lanza: The Best of Everything, will be released by Sony in conjunction with the DVD in March.

Here are the track details:

MARIO LANZA: THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
DISC 1

1. BE MY LOVE (RCA)
2. LA BOHÈME: CHE GELIDA MANINA (RCA)
3. SOME DAY (from THE VAGABOND KING) (Coke Show)
4. BESAME MUCHO (Coke Show) ­ INTRODUCED BY LANZA
5. GUARDIAN ANGELS (Coke Show)
6. RIGOLETTO: QUESTA O QUELLA (RCA)
7. SONG OF INDIA (RCA)
8. DANNY BOY (Coke Show) ­ INTRODUCED BY LANZA
9. DRINK, DRINK, DRINK (from THE STUDENT PRINCE) (MGM)
10. YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC (Coke Show)
11. CARMEN: FLOWER SONG (RCA ­ take 2)
12. MY ROMANCE (Coke Show)
13. MATTINATA (RCA)
14. NIGHT AND DAY (Coke Show)
15. SERENADE (from THE STUDENT PRINCE) (MGM)
16. BECAUSE (RCA)
17. ’A VUCCHELLA (RCA)
18. TOSCA: RECONDITA ARMONIA (RCA)
19. WITHOUT A SONG (Coke Show)
20. I’LL WALK WITH GOD (from the film THE STUDENT PRINCE) (MGM)

BONUS TRACKS:

1. IF YOU WERE MINE (RCA) ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ALTERNATE TAKE
2. THE LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR (RCA Rome) ­ FIRST TIME ON CD

DISC 2

1. BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE (RCA)
2. MARTHA: M’APPARI (RCA)
3. BELOVED (from the film THE STUDENT PRINCE) (MGM)
4. NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART (Coke Show)
5. FEDORA: AMOR TI VIETA (“Serenade” soundtrack)
6. GRANADA (RCA)
7. THINE ALONE (Coke Show) ­ INTRODUCED BY LANZA
8. GOLDEN DAYS (from THE STUDENT PRINCE) (MGM)
9. AIDA: CELESTE AIDA (RCA)
10. ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE (“Cavalcade of Show Tunes”)
11. RIGOLETTO: LA DONNA E MOBILE (RCA)
12. ARRIVEDERCI ROMA (RCA Rome ­ English version)
13. I PAGLIACCI: VESTI LA GIUBBA (“For the First Time”)
14. AVE MARIA (Schubert ­ “For the First Time”)
15. PASSIONE (RCA Rome)
16. ONE ALONE (from THE DESERT SONG) (RCA Rome ­ as recorded, no chorus)
17. TURANDOT: NESSUN DORMA (“Serenade” alternate take) ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
18. SIGN OFF from MARIO LANZA (“May I wish you the very best of everything in life always…”) ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

BONUS TRACKS:
HISTORICAL RECORDINGS FROM “THE MARIO LANZA SHOW”
1. BE MY LOVE ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
2. THE LORD’S PRAYER ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
3. Drigo SERENADE ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
4. SILENT NIGHT ­ PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

This is easily the best compilation that Derek Mannering has produced to date, and it's pleasing to see a sampling of highlights from Lanza's entire recording career this time.

More information about both the CD release and the DVD is available here.

The CD set is available from UK Amazon for pre-ordering now.