Operatic career:
Born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was exposed to opera and singing at a young age, and by the age of 16 his vocal talent became apparent. Starting out in local operatic productions in Philadelphia, he later came to the attention of conductor Serge Koussevitzky, who provided young Cocozza with a full student scholarship to the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Koussevitzky would later tell Lanza that, "Yours is a voice such as is heard once in a hundred years."
His operatic debut, as Fenton in Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor, was at Tanglewood on August 7, 1942, after just six weeks of study with conductors Boris Goldovsky and Leonard Bernstein. It was here that Cocozza adopted his stage name from his mother Maria's maiden name of Lanza. His performances at Tanglewood won him critical acclaim, with Noel Straus of The New York Times hailing the 21-year-old tenor as having "few equals among tenors of the day in terms of quality, warmth, and power."
His operatic career was interrupted by World War II, when he was assigned to Special Services in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He appeared on the wartime shows On the Beam and Winged Victory while in the Air Corps.
He resumed his singing career in October 1945 on the CBS radio program Great Moments in Music, where he made six appearances singing various operatic selections. He later studied under Enrico Rosati for fifteen months, then embarked on an 86-concert tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico between July 1947 and May 1948 with George London and Frances Yeend. In April 1948, he sang Pinkerton in the New Orleans Opera's Madama Butterfly. A concert at the Hollywood Bowl brought Lanza to the attention of MGM's Louis B. Mayer, who signed Lanza to a seven-year film contract with Metro Goldwyn Mayer. This would prove to be a turning point in the young singer's career.
Film career:
MGM's contract with Lanza required him to commit to the studio for six months, and at first Lanza was able to combine his film career with his operatic one, singing two acclaimed performances as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for the New Orleans Opera Association in April 1948. He also continued to perform in concert, both in solo appearances and as part of the Bel Canto Trio with George London and Frances Yeend. In May 1949, he made his first commercial recordings with RCA Victor. However, his first two films, That Midnight Kiss and The Toast of New Orleans, were very successful, as was his recording career, and Lanza's fame increased dramatically.
In 1951, Lanza portrayed Enrico Caruso in The Great Caruso, which proved to be an astonishing success. At the same time, his popularity exposed Lanza to intense criticism by music critics, including those who had praised his work years earlier.
In 1954, Lanza was dismissed by MGM after he had pre-recorded the songs for The Student Prince. The film was subsequently made with actor Edmund Purdom miming to Lanza's vocals. During this period Lanza came very close to bankruptcy as a result of poor investment decisions made by his former manager. Owing about $250,000 in back taxes to the IRS, Lanza withdrew from the public eye for a time.
Mario Lanza at home.He returned to an active film career in 1956 in Serenade; despite its strong musical content, it was not as successful as his previous films. Lanza then moved to Rome, Italy in May 1957, where he worked on the film Seven Hills of Rome and returned to live performing in a series of acclaimed concerts throughout Britain, Ireland and the European Continent. In early 1958, he auditioned for the management of La Scala in Milan, and was immediately offered a minimum two-year contract to sing at that theatre. The opera initially discussed was Puccini's Tosca. Later that year, Lanza also agreed to open the 1960/61 season at the Rome Opera as Canio in Pagliacci. At the same time, however, his health began to decline, with the tenor suffering from a variety of ailments, including phlebitis and acute high blood pressure. The following year, in April 1959, Lanza suffered a minor heart attack, followed by double pneumonia in August. He died in Rome in October of that year at the age of 38 from a pulmonary embolism. His widow moved back to Hollywood with their four children and died of a drug overdose five months later; the younger of their two sons died of a heart attack at the age of 37. When Lanza died rumors spread that the notorious mob boss Lucky Luciano (Salvatore Luciano) had had him killed after he refused to perform for him but those rumors quickly died down because they simply were not true. Soprano Maria Callas would later say of him, "My biggest regret is not to have had the opportunity to sing with the greatest tenor voice I've ever heard."
Lanza's short career covered opera, radio, concerts, recordings, and motion pictures. He was the first artist for RCA Victor Red Seal to receive a gold disc. He was also the first artist to sell two and half million albums. A highly influential artist, Lanza has been credited with inspiring the careers of successive generations of opera singers, including Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Leo Nucci and Jose Carreras, as well as those of singers with seemingly different backgrounds, and influences, his RCA Victor label-mate Elvis Presley being the most notable example. In 1994, tenor José Carreras paid tribute to Lanza in a worldwide concert tour, saying of him, "If I'm an opera singer, it's thanks to Mario Lanza."
Parlami d'amore mariù
Mario Lanza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Splende un sorriso di stella, negli occhi tuoi blu
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Oggi ti sono vicino perché sospirar?
Non pensar
Parlami d'amore Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non è
Dimmi che sei tutta per me
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore Mariù!
Dimmi che illusione non è
Dimmi che sei tutta per me
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d‘amore Mariù!
The song, Parlami D'Amore Mariu, sung by Mario Lanza, is a romantic ballad that expresses admiration for a woman's beauty and seeks love and companionship. The song's lyrics start with the phrase, "Come sei bella, più bella stasera Mariù!" which translates to "How beautiful you are, more beautiful tonight, Mariu!" The singer acknowledges the loveliness of the woman he's addressing, as a smile of a star shines in her blue eyes. The mood is set, as the singer conveys the intensity of his admiration as he mentions "Fiamme di sogno scintillano," which is translated to "Flames of dreams sparkle."
The theme of the song is love and companionship. The singer expresses his willingness to be with Mariu, today, despite the uncertain future. He also mentions how she is everything to him, as he says, "Dimmi che sei tutta per me," which means "Tell me you belong only to me." The song affirms an intense attraction towards Mariu, as the singer implores Mariu to speak of love, hoping his dreams come true. In essence, the singer wants Mariu to reciprocate his love and acknowledge the depth of his feelings for her.
Line by Line Meaning
Come sei bella, più bella stasera Mariù!
Mariù, you look exceptionally beautiful tonight with a star-like smile shining in your blue eyes.
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Although tomorrow's fate may be unfavorable,
Oggi ti sono vicino perché sospirar? Non pensar
I am here with you today, so there's no need to sigh or worry.
Parlami d'amore Mariù!
Speak to me of love, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu
You are my entire life.
Gli occhi tuoi belli brillano
Your beautiful eyes sparkle.
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
They ignite flames of dreamy passion.
Dimmi che illusione non è
Tell me that this is not just an illusion.
Dimmi che sei tutta per me
Tell me that you belong to me completely.
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Here on your heart, I no longer suffer.
Parlami d'amore Mariù!
Speak to me of love, Mariù!
Dimmi che illusione non è
Tell me that this is not just an illusion.
Dimmi che sei tutta per me
Tell me that you belong to me completely.
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Here on your heart, I no longer suffer.
Parlami d‘amore Mariù!
Speak to me of love, Mariù!
Writer(s): ENNIO NERI, CESARE ANDREA BIXIO
Contributed by Kaylee C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@peassuncao
Come sei bella più bella stasera Mariú!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhi tuoi blu!
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Oggi ti sono vicino, perché sospirar?
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belle brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
So che una bella e maliarda sirena sei tu
So che si perde chi guarda,
quegli occhi tuoi blu
Ma che mi importa se il mondo si burla di me,
meglio nel gorgo profondo
ma sempre con te,
sì, con te.
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belle brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
@emtnz1569
Come sei bella più bella stasera Mariú!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhituoi
Blu!
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Oggi ti sono vicini, perche sospirar?
Non pensar!
… Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi bella brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non e
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
… Dimmi che illusione nion e
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore
Parlami d'amore
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!"
@vassod9430
Parlami D'amore Mariu
Βιττόριο ντε Σίκα
Come sei bella più bella stasera Mariú!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhi tuoi blu!
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Oggi ti sono vicino, perché sospirar?
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belle brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
So che una bella e maliarda sirena sei tu
So che si perde chi guarda,
quegli occhi tuoi blu
Ma che mi importa se il mondo si burla di me,
meglio nel gorgo profondo
ma sempre con te,
sì, con te.
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belle brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariu
@user-ry9zg6in8i
ГЕНИАЛЬНЫЙ ОПЕРНЫЙ ДРАМАТИЧЕСКИЙ ТЕНОР МАРИО ЛАНЦА! БРАВИССИМО!!! СВЕТЛАЯ ПАМЯТЬ ГЕНИЮ БЕЛЬКАНТО! С уважением, Валерий Романов.
@operaaugu8526
No one can sing like that anymore, only Caruso, Lanza and me!
@eguirald
My nonno had been a faithful admirer of Caruso and had all of his records. When Mario Lanza entered the world music / film scene, my nonno became his instant fan. In fact, Mario Lanza's popularity here in Chile was enormous and lasted through most of the 1950s - until his untimely death.
@marcosvital9611
When I hear Mario Lanza singing this song, I also hear my mother’s beautiful voice
@lucyanasotir894
MARIO IS THE KING OF ALL TENORS FOREVER !!!!
@MarioDoodles
How romantic❤...listened this often as kid...now im 50...still its great❤❤❤❤
@turhanbey
His voice is simply magic to the ears. This explains why many people are his fans even though they were not born in his time, like me. Mario Lanza's Golden voice is still the most powerful tenor voice ever existed.
@markherron1407
Dolce Commercial brought me here Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!
@phyllisvalentine7411
When I was a young girl, my parents had a 78 rpm vinyl record of love songs from their era. Mario Lanza had recorded a song in English called "Be my Love" (.....for no one else can end this yearning..) I remember how much they loved that song and how they would sing along and dance to it. When my younger brother was a toddler, each time he would hear it, he would start jumping up and down in the baby seat/walker that babies used at that time. My parents would talk about the effect of Mario Lanza's voice on him for decades to come. Somehow, it symbolized the love that emanated from that voice throughout our home. I can still hear the song and if I close my eyes, I can still see my parents. Such a powerful voice on many levels!
@ronnieshalem8110
Valorie Phillian, we miss our parents and we long for them. my parents too loved Mario Lanza and when I her this song I recall.