I'm thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of yet another outstanding CD from Sepia Records of London: O Holy Night: Christmas With Mario Lanza. This compilation brings together the best of Mario Lanza’s much-loved 1950-56 recordings of Christmas carols, together with other religious and devotional material from the same period, presenting them all in stereo for the first time. The technological breakthrough that has made this transformation possible is Digitally Extracted Stereo (DES), a process that converts mono recordings into multi-track stereo while preserving the full integrity of the original vocals and instrumentation. Now, with Lanza’s voice brought vividly to the fore and the orchestra enveloping rather than containing him, both are revealed with a previously unheard clarity and brilliance. |
While Lanza would re-record most of these songs in 1959 for a sonically disappointing so-called Living Stereo release, even his most uncritical admirers would acknowledge that the earlier (originally mono) recordings featured here find the tenor in much more vibrant form. As an added attraction, this compilation includes four of Lanza’s most popular late (1958-59) stereo recordings, all remixed by sound wizard Stephen Cutler to stunning effect through the magic of DES. These include “I Love Thee” (more impressive than ever now with its superior balance between voice and orchestra) and an impossibly sweet rendition of Schubert’s “Ave Maria”, both from Lanza’s Grammy-nominated album For the First Time.
O Holy Night will be available for purchase in mid-August directly from Sepia Records (sepiarecords.com) and from 12 September 2025 elsewhere. For those in the US, a worthy alternative to enriching Amazon would be to purchase the CD directly from the Mario Lanza Institute in Philadelphia, as proceeds will go toward scholarships for young singers in Lanza's name. I will post ordering links here in August as soon as they become available. [More updates to follow]
O Holy Night will be available for purchase in mid-August directly from Sepia Records (sepiarecords.com) and from 12 September 2025 elsewhere. For those in the US, a worthy alternative to enriching Amazon would be to purchase the CD directly from the Mario Lanza Institute in Philadelphia, as proceeds will go toward scholarships for young singers in Lanza's name. I will post ordering links here in August as soon as they become available. [More updates to follow]