I'm delighted to announce that, hot on the heels of its February 2015 release Mario Lanza: Greatest Operatic Recordings, the UK-based company Sepia Records has released two more outstanding Lanza CD compilations. They are: Greatest Operatic Recordings, Volume Two and My Italian Soul, a collection of Neapolitan and Italian songs.
Each disc has been compiled by Armando Cesari, Vincent Di Placido, Lee Ann Cafferata, and yours truly. (Please note, by the way, that none of us has any financial interest in these CDs.) Our goals were to compile the best of Lanza's remaining operatic recordings and create the definitive Lanza Neapolitan/Italian Song collection. Prepare to be impressed by the quality of these discs, each of which includes new-to-CD material and superb artwork.
Vince and I supplied the recordings for the discs, drawing from the best-available vinyl, acetate and reel-to-reel sources. These were then remastered by Sepia's sound engineer, Robin Cherry. Some of the commercial recordings featured here, such as "Dicitencello Vuie" and "L'Alba Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra," actually sound better than ever before. There are also some beautifully restored rarities, including the thrilling Royal Variety Show performance of "E lucevan le stelle" and a recently discovered (alternate) 1945 test recording of "Mattinata." "Agnus Dei" has also never sounded better.
The two CDs are available now for £9.39 each (including international postage) directly from Sepia Records' UK outlet, ProperMusic.com. And for those who prefer the more expensive Amazon option, the CDs are also available from all of its outlets.
Mario Lanza: Greatest Operatic Recordings, Volume Two
Each disc has been compiled by Armando Cesari, Vincent Di Placido, Lee Ann Cafferata, and yours truly. (Please note, by the way, that none of us has any financial interest in these CDs.) Our goals were to compile the best of Lanza's remaining operatic recordings and create the definitive Lanza Neapolitan/Italian Song collection. Prepare to be impressed by the quality of these discs, each of which includes new-to-CD material and superb artwork.
Vince and I supplied the recordings for the discs, drawing from the best-available vinyl, acetate and reel-to-reel sources. These were then remastered by Sepia's sound engineer, Robin Cherry. Some of the commercial recordings featured here, such as "Dicitencello Vuie" and "L'Alba Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra," actually sound better than ever before. There are also some beautifully restored rarities, including the thrilling Royal Variety Show performance of "E lucevan le stelle" and a recently discovered (alternate) 1945 test recording of "Mattinata." "Agnus Dei" has also never sounded better.
The two CDs are available now for £9.39 each (including international postage) directly from Sepia Records' UK outlet, ProperMusic.com. And for those who prefer the more expensive Amazon option, the CDs are also available from all of its outlets.
Mario Lanza: Greatest Operatic Recordings, Volume Two
1. Cilea: L’Arlesiana. Lamento di Federico. Recorded 13 July 1955.
2. Scarlatti: L’honestà negli amori. Già il sole dal Gange. Performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 16 January 1958. Constantine Callinicos, pianist.
3. Lanza warming up his voice. Recorded in Rome, September 1958.
4. Verdi: Rigoletto. Questa o quella. Recorded 15 May 1950.
5. Verdi: Rigoletto. Parmi veder le lagrime. Recorded 29 May 1950.
6. Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore. Una furtiva lagrima.Recorded 15 May 1950.
7. Verdi: La traviata. Parigi, o cara. With Frances Yeend, soprano. Performed at the Hollywood Bowl, 28 August 1947.
8. Puccini: La bohème. O soave fanciulla. Details as for track #7.
9. Leoncavallo: La bohème. Testa adorata. Recorded 9 May 1952. Source: radio broadcast acetate.
10. Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko (adapted Mercer). Song of India. Recorded 17 June 1953.
11. Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana. Bada, Santuzza, schiavo non sono! With Marina Koshetz, soprano. Recorded 17 October 1950.
12. Verdi: Il trovatore. Sconto col sangue mio. With Lucine Amara, soprano. Recorded 19 August 1950.
13. Puccini: Tosca. Qual occhio al mondo. Recorded 13 July 1955.
14. Puccini: Tosca. E lucevan le stelle. Performed at Hollywood Bowl, 28 August 1947.
15. Giordano: Andrea Chénier. Un dì all’azzurro spazio. Details as for #14.
16. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci. Un tal gioco. Details as for #9.
17. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci. Vesti la giubba. Recorded 17 July 1950. Source: RAI broadcast, La Mia Vita per il Canto, 11 October 1959.
18. Verdi: La forza del destino. O tu che in seno agli angeli. Recorded 6 June 1950.
19. Verdi: Aida. Celeste Aida. Recorded 5 May 1949.
20. Verdi: Aida. Gloria all’Egitto. With chorus; Gian Giacomo Guelfi, bass-baritone; and unidentified soloists. Recorded September 1958.
BONUS TRACKS
21. Unknown Aria. Private recording, 22 May 1944. Pianist unknown.
22. Giordano: Madame Sans-Gêne. Questa bocca tua profumata e pura. Home rehearsal, 1952. Pianist Constantine Callinicos.
23. Puccini: Tosca. E lucevan le stelle. Performed at the London Palladium, 18 November 1957. (Royal Variety Show performance)
24. Bizet: Carmen. La fleur que tu m’avais jetée. Recorded 8 April 1950.
25. Ponchielli: La gioconda. Cielo e mar. Recorded 21 March 1952. Original radio broadcast acetate.
2. Scarlatti: L’honestà negli amori. Già il sole dal Gange. Performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 16 January 1958. Constantine Callinicos, pianist.
3. Lanza warming up his voice. Recorded in Rome, September 1958.
4. Verdi: Rigoletto. Questa o quella. Recorded 15 May 1950.
5. Verdi: Rigoletto. Parmi veder le lagrime. Recorded 29 May 1950.
6. Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore. Una furtiva lagrima.Recorded 15 May 1950.
7. Verdi: La traviata. Parigi, o cara. With Frances Yeend, soprano. Performed at the Hollywood Bowl, 28 August 1947.
8. Puccini: La bohème. O soave fanciulla. Details as for track #7.
9. Leoncavallo: La bohème. Testa adorata. Recorded 9 May 1952. Source: radio broadcast acetate.
10. Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko (adapted Mercer). Song of India. Recorded 17 June 1953.
11. Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana. Bada, Santuzza, schiavo non sono! With Marina Koshetz, soprano. Recorded 17 October 1950.
12. Verdi: Il trovatore. Sconto col sangue mio. With Lucine Amara, soprano. Recorded 19 August 1950.
13. Puccini: Tosca. Qual occhio al mondo. Recorded 13 July 1955.
14. Puccini: Tosca. E lucevan le stelle. Performed at Hollywood Bowl, 28 August 1947.
15. Giordano: Andrea Chénier. Un dì all’azzurro spazio. Details as for #14.
16. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci. Un tal gioco. Details as for #9.
17. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci. Vesti la giubba. Recorded 17 July 1950. Source: RAI broadcast, La Mia Vita per il Canto, 11 October 1959.
18. Verdi: La forza del destino. O tu che in seno agli angeli. Recorded 6 June 1950.
19. Verdi: Aida. Celeste Aida. Recorded 5 May 1949.
20. Verdi: Aida. Gloria all’Egitto. With chorus; Gian Giacomo Guelfi, bass-baritone; and unidentified soloists. Recorded September 1958.
BONUS TRACKS
21. Unknown Aria. Private recording, 22 May 1944. Pianist unknown.
22. Giordano: Madame Sans-Gêne. Questa bocca tua profumata e pura. Home rehearsal, 1952. Pianist Constantine Callinicos.
23. Puccini: Tosca. E lucevan le stelle. Performed at the London Palladium, 18 November 1957. (Royal Variety Show performance)
24. Bizet: Carmen. La fleur que tu m’avais jetée. Recorded 8 April 1950.
25. Ponchielli: La gioconda. Cielo e mar. Recorded 21 March 1952. Original radio broadcast acetate.
Mario Lanza: My Italian Soul
1. Mamma Mia, Che Vò Sapé? (Mama, What Do You Want to Know?) (Nutile-Russo)
2. Rimpianto (Regret) (Toselli’s Serenade) (Toselli-Silvestri)
3. ’A Vucchella (Little Mouth) (Tosti-D’Annunzio)
4. Torna a Surriento (Come Back to Sorrento) (E. De Curtis-G. De Curtis)
5. La Danza (The Dance) (Rossini-Pepoli) Introduced by Lanza
6. ’O Sole Mio (My Sunshine) (Di Capua-Capurro)
7. Tu Ca Nun Chiagne! (You Who Do Not Cry!) (De Curtis-Bovio)
8. Santa Lucia Luntana (Santa Lucia Far Away) (Mario)
9. Fenesta Che Lucive (The Window That Used to Shine) (G. Cottrau-Paolella)
10. Dicitencello Vuie (You Tell Her) (Falvo-Fusco)
11. ’O Surdato ’Nnammurato (The Soldier in Love) (Cannio-Califano)
12. Voce ’e Notte (Voice in the Night) (De Curtis-Nicolardi) With RCA Italiana chorus.
13. Canta Pe’ Mme! (Sing for Me!) (De Curtis-Bovio)
14. Comme Facette Mámmeta? (How Did Your Mother Make You?) (Gambardella-Capaldo)
15. ’Na Sera ’e Maggio (One Evening in May) (Cioffi-Pisano)
16. Passione (Passion) (Tagliaferri-Valente-Bovio)
17. Senza Nisciuno (Without Anyone) (De Curtis-Barbieri)
18. Vaghissima Sembianza (Very Vague Semblance) (S. Donaudy-A. Donaudy)
19. Serenata (Serenade) (Bracco-Caruso)
20. Pour un Baiser (For a Kiss) (Tosti-Doncieux) Sung in French.
21. Luna d’Estate (Summer Moon) (Tosti)
22. L’Alba Separa dalla Luce l’Ombra (The Dawn Divides the Darkness from the Light) (Tosti-D’Annunzio)
23. Ideale (Ideal) (Tosti-Errico)
BONUS TRACKS
24. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) (Bizet) Sung in Latin. Live recording
25. Mattinata (Morning) (Leoncavallo) Previously unreleased (newly discovered recording)
Recording information: #1: Recorded May 5, 1949. #2: June 6, 1950. #3: February 23, 1951. #4: June 30, 1955. #5: June 28, 1955. #6: September 1958. #7-16: December 1958. #17-23: June 1959. #24: July 24, 1948. #25: June 1945.
1. Mamma Mia, Che Vò Sapé? (Mama, What Do You Want to Know?) (Nutile-Russo)
2. Rimpianto (Regret) (Toselli’s Serenade) (Toselli-Silvestri)
3. ’A Vucchella (Little Mouth) (Tosti-D’Annunzio)
4. Torna a Surriento (Come Back to Sorrento) (E. De Curtis-G. De Curtis)
5. La Danza (The Dance) (Rossini-Pepoli) Introduced by Lanza
6. ’O Sole Mio (My Sunshine) (Di Capua-Capurro)
7. Tu Ca Nun Chiagne! (You Who Do Not Cry!) (De Curtis-Bovio)
8. Santa Lucia Luntana (Santa Lucia Far Away) (Mario)
9. Fenesta Che Lucive (The Window That Used to Shine) (G. Cottrau-Paolella)
10. Dicitencello Vuie (You Tell Her) (Falvo-Fusco)
11. ’O Surdato ’Nnammurato (The Soldier in Love) (Cannio-Califano)
12. Voce ’e Notte (Voice in the Night) (De Curtis-Nicolardi) With RCA Italiana chorus.
13. Canta Pe’ Mme! (Sing for Me!) (De Curtis-Bovio)
14. Comme Facette Mámmeta? (How Did Your Mother Make You?) (Gambardella-Capaldo)
15. ’Na Sera ’e Maggio (One Evening in May) (Cioffi-Pisano)
16. Passione (Passion) (Tagliaferri-Valente-Bovio)
17. Senza Nisciuno (Without Anyone) (De Curtis-Barbieri)
18. Vaghissima Sembianza (Very Vague Semblance) (S. Donaudy-A. Donaudy)
19. Serenata (Serenade) (Bracco-Caruso)
20. Pour un Baiser (For a Kiss) (Tosti-Doncieux) Sung in French.
21. Luna d’Estate (Summer Moon) (Tosti)
22. L’Alba Separa dalla Luce l’Ombra (The Dawn Divides the Darkness from the Light) (Tosti-D’Annunzio)
23. Ideale (Ideal) (Tosti-Errico)
BONUS TRACKS
24. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) (Bizet) Sung in Latin. Live recording
25. Mattinata (Morning) (Leoncavallo) Previously unreleased (newly discovered recording)
Recording information: #1: Recorded May 5, 1949. #2: June 6, 1950. #3: February 23, 1951. #4: June 30, 1955. #5: June 28, 1955. #6: September 1958. #7-16: December 1958. #17-23: June 1959. #24: July 24, 1948. #25: June 1945.
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