Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods

by Derek Mannering (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2006

  $3.24

  In paperback for the first time, this author's bestselling biography of Mario Lanza now contains a fabulous new collection of forty rare photographs drawn from the private collections of Lanza's closest friend Terry Robinson, and the tenor's niece, the former actress Dolores Hart. Mario Lanza was blessed with one of the great tenor voices of all time, a consummate artist whose repertoire recognized no musical boundaries. Groomed at the outset for a career on the opera stage, Lanza instead got sidetracked into Hollywood, where his powerful singing and larger-than-life personality made him an overnight sensation. His films, most notably The Great Caruso and Serenade , brought the world of Puccini and his contemporaries to countless millions, confirming his status as one of the most exciting entertainers of his day. But his staggering successes came at a high price and by the age of thirty-eight he was dead, a victim of his own troubled psyche and expansive lifestyle. This richly detailed and definitive examination of Mario Lanza's life and times, warmly endorsed by the singer's daughter, Ellisa Lanza Bregman, confronts the tragedy head-on, revealing in the process a man torn apart by inner demons and an unbridled passion for life. It also includes the most exhaustive analysis ever captured in print of Lanza's unforgettable career as a recording, film and concert artist.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2004

  $11.55

  Mario Lanza: A Life in Pictures is a stunning collection of nearly 200 photographs and illustrations that captures the fabulous and tumultuous times of the greatest romantic tenor of the twentieth century. Compiled by acclaimed Lanza biographer Derek Mannering, who drew on the exclusive photo collection of the tenor's closest friend, Terry Robinson, the book offers a revealing glimpse into the private and public world of this great singing star. With Terry Robinson's vast anthology of Lanza memorabilia at his disposal, the author has assembled an unrivalled pictorial history of the tenor's extraordinary life and career, from his childhood in Philadelphia, his first tentative steps towards a career in the opera house, the unexpected about-turn that led to the glory days in Hollywood, and on through to the sudden and tragic ending in Rome in 1959. Many of the extremely rare photographs featured here are appearing in print for the first time, and all are backed up by Derek Mannering's authoritative and compelling narrative. In addition, personal comments by Terry Robinson about the pictures are also featured throughout the book. The book concludes with an afterword by Mario Lanza's daughter, Ellisa Lanza Bregman. Few careers in show business have been as colourful or as controversial as Mario Lanza's. Groomed for a professional life on the opera stage, Lanza instead got waylaid by Hollywood where, through films like The Great Caruso, he thrilled moviegoers with his magnificent voice and dazzling personality. His films and recordings were hugely influential in shaping the careers of countless young opera singers, The Three Tenors especially, and to this day Lanza continues to be seen as the crossover artist supreme. Mario Lanza: A Life in Pictures is a unique collaboration between Lanza's best biographer and his closest friend, a priceless pictorial souvenir that will be cherished by music lovers and film historians everywhere.