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Mario Lanza music biography continued...

Pennsylvania, on January 31, 1921, Lanza's talent was apparent early and he starred in a number of local operatic productions. He earned a full student scholarship to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood in Massachusetts, and had his operatic debut at the Berkshire Music Festival. Lanza soon after took his stage name from his mother's maiden name, Maria Lanza. His performances at Tanglewood won him critical acclaim, but his career was interrupted when he was drafted into the army during World War II. After the service, Lanza resumed his singing career on the live CBS radio program Great Moments in Music, on which he made six appearances over a period of four months. He then studied with noted teacher Enrico Rosati for fifteen months, which led to an 86-concert tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico between July 1947 and May 1948. A concert in Los Angeles in August 1947 brought Lanza to the attention of Louis B. Mayer, who promptly signed him to a seven-year film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Among Mario Lanza's many films were "That Midnight Kiss" (MGM 1949) and "The Toast of New Orleans" (MGM 1950), which included the song "Be My Love," his first gold record. His greatest film success, The Great Caruso" (MGM 1951) made him world famous. He made a legendary US "Caruso Concert Tour" in 1951 and "Lanza Fever" swept the whole of America. "Because You're Mine" (MGM 1952) was selected for the Royal Command Film Performance in Britain, and led to a European tour, making him a superstar there as well.



In May 1957, Mario Lanza moved with his family to Rome where he made two further films " The Seven Hills of Rome" (MGM /Titanus 1957) and "For The First Time" (MGM/CCC1958). He continued to perform opera throughout Europe as well. In June 1959 he signed another film contact - "Laugh Clown Laugh" and made several recordings, the very last "The Lord's Prayer" in September 1959, which was never released. Mario Lanza's last year was plagued by ill-health and a demanding workload. He died on October 7 of a massive heart attack, finally silencing what Arturo Toscanini had called "the greatest voice of the 20th century."