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."
The Donkey Serenade
Mario Lanza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the fair senorita
Doesn't seem to care
For the song in the air.
So I'll sing to my mule
If you're sure she won't think that
I am just a fool
Amigo mio, does she not have a dainty bray?
She listens carefully to each little word we play.
La bella senorita?
Si, si, mi muchachito,
She'd love to sing it too if only she knew the way.
But try as she may,
In her voice there's a flaw!
And all that the lady can say
Is "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
You're the one for me.
There's a light in her eye,
Tho' she may try to hide it,
She cannot deny,
There's a light in her eye.
Oh! the charm of her smile
So beguiles all who see her
That they'd ride a mile
For the charm of her smile.
Amigo mio, is she listenin' to my song?
No, no, mi muchachito, how could you be so wrong?
La bella senorita?
Si, si, la senorita,
If she knew all the words,
Well, maybe she'd sing along . . .
Her face is a dream
Like an angel i saw!
But all that my darlin' can scream
Is: "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
You're the one for me.
You're . . . the one . . . for me!
"The Donkey Serenade" is a beautiful song by Mario Lanza that explores the power of music and its ability to evoke emotions in any listener. In the first verse, the singer describes the song's presence in the air, although the senorita seems indifferent to it. He then sings to his mule, who he thinks won't judge him for serenading her. The singer imagines the donkey as a senorita and serenades her with the song, suggesting that even animals can respond to music's beauty.
The second verse has a comical tone, as the singer shares that the donkey is listening to his song and waiting for her cue to sing along. The senorita's brays interrupt the song occasionally and prove that she is not capable of singing with humans. The singer admits the senorita's voice has a flaw, but he still celebrates the charm of her smile.
The final verse acknowledges the surreal nature of the situation but solidifies the singer's affection for his companion, the senorita donkey. Despite her flaws, he recognizes the beauty in her, much like how people perceive the beauty in artwork despite imperfections.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a song in the air,
I can hear music around me,
But the fair senorita
The pretty lady nearby,
Doesn't seem to care
Doesn't show interest towards it,
For the song in the air.
Even though it's pleasant to hear.
So I'll sing to my mule
I'll sing to my donkey instead,
If you're sure she won't think that
As long as you're certain she won't regard me as foolish,
I am just a fool
To be seen as ridiculous,
Serenading a mule.
For singing a love song to an animal.
Amigo mio, does she not have a dainty bray?
My friend, have you noticed how gentle and delicate her bellow sounds?
She listens carefully to each little word we play.
She pays attention to every note that we sing.
La bella senorita?
The beautiful lady?
Si, si, mi muchachito,
Yes, yes, my young friend,
She'd love to sing it too if only she knew the way.
She would love to join us in singing the song if only she knew the lyrics.
But try as she may,
Despite all her effort,
In her voice there's a flaw!
Her singing voice is imperfect.
And all that the lady can say
All she can utter is
Is "e-e-aw!"
The sound of her braying like a donkey.
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
Little miss donkey, not as fast as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
But so endearing like my little darling,
You're the one for me.
You're the perfect one for me.
There's a light in her eye,
A sparkle in her eye,
Tho' she may try to hide it,
Although she attempts to conceal it,
She cannot deny,
She can't help that feeling,
There's a light in her eye.
That shine coming out of her eyes.
Oh! the charm of her smile
The magic of her smile
So beguiles all who see her
That captivates everyone who's looking at her
That they'd ride a mile
That they'd go through great lengths
For the charm of her smile.
To experience the enchantment of her smile.
Amigo mio, is she listenin' to my song?
My friend, is she hearing my song?
No, no, mi muchachito, how could you be so wrong?
No, no, my boy, it's impossible for her to listen to you.
La bella senorita?
The beautiful lady?
Si, si, la senorita,
Yes, yes, the lady
If she knew all the words,
If she were familiar with the entire lyrics,
Well, maybe she'd sing along . . .
Perhaps she'll sing alongside us.
Her face is a dream
Her countenance is a fantasy
Like an angel I saw!
Like one of those heavenly beings I saw!
But all that my darlin' can scream
But the only sound that my beloved can emit
Is "e-e-aw!"
Is that donkey-like noise.
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
Little miss donkey, not as fast as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
But so endearing like my little darling,
You're the one for me.
You're the perfect one for me.
You're . . . the one . . . for me!
You... are the one... meant for me!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chet Forrest, Rudolf Friml, Herbert Stothart, Bob Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HLLTAF
There's a song in the air,
But the fair senorita
Doesn't seem to care
For the song in the air.
So I'll sing to the mule
If you're sure she won't think that I am just a fool
Serenading a mule.
Amigo mio, does she not have a dainty bray?
She listens carefully to each little word we play.
La bella senorita?
Si, si, mi muchachito,
She'd love to sing it too if only she knew the way.
But try as she may,
In her voice there's a flaw!
And all that the lady can say Is "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my Chiquita,
You're the one for me.
There's a light in her eye,
Tho' she may try to hide it,
She cannot deny,
There's a light in her eye.
Oh! The charm of her smile
So beguiles all who see her
That they'd ride a mile
For the charm of her smile.
Amigo mio, is she listenin' to my song?
No, no, mi muchachito, how could you be so wrong?
La bella senorita?
Si, si, la senorita,
She loves to sing it to me
If only she knew all the words,
Her face is a dream
Like an angel I saw!
But all that my darlin' can scream
Is: "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my Chiquita,
You're the one for me.
@tonyvillamotte4339
Composed by a Czech composer, Rudolf Friml (1879-1972), a student of Dvořák in Prague. Even before he moved permanently to the US in 1906, where his first regular post in New York was as a repetiteur at the Metropolitan Opera, he had made his American piano debut at Carnegie Hall on November 17, 1904, giving the premiere of his Piano Concerto in B-flat major with the New York Symphony, under the baton of Walter Damrosch, in a concert that also included Friml playing his own Etude de concert, Op. 4, Smetana's "Am Seegestade", Liszt's Liebesträume No. 3, the Grieg A minor piano concerto with the orchestra, and a solo improvisation (try getting a pianist, any pianist, to perform a program like that today, may good luck bless your efforts...).
In 1912, Arthur Hammerstein had an indirect break-up with American composer Victor Herbert and found a new partner in operetta in the still relatively unknown and untested - in operetta composition at least - Rudolf Friml. Friml then went on to compose a string of Broadway hits in the 10s and 20s, and after the 1929 Great Depression set in, he composed music for many movies.
Friml's forte was the compositional style and language of the silver age of Viennese operetta, and he never picked up on the new, jazz-inspired style like his younger contemporary, George Gershwin did. Wisely, Friml withdrew from composing for the stage, for the most part, and composed "serious" classical music and gave piano performances in a state of semi-retirement into his 90s.
In 1967, Friml performed in a special concert at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. As he often did in his concerts, he began the concert with a piano improvisation, then played special arrangements of his own compositions as well as composers who had influenced him. He even played Dvořák's Humoresque as a special tribute to his teacher. He also appeared on Lawrence Welk's television program in 1971. He was one of the original inductees into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
There are Czechs hiding behind some famous songs that you'd never suspect weren't written by American or British composers. One case in point is "Roll Out the Barrell" of WW II fame. The music was composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927.
Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the piece, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingriš's help in refining it. At that time, it was played without lyrics as "Modřanská polka" ("Polka of Modřany"). Its first text was written later (in 1934) by Václav Zeman – with the title "Škoda lásky" ("Wasted Love").
Already on its way to fame under the names "Beer Barrel Polka" and "The Barrel Polka", the song was recorded in June 1939 by Will Glahé, and reached number one on the Hit Parade [in Great Britain, I surmise]. This version was distributed by Shapiro Bernstein.
Glahé's earlier 1934 recording sold many copies in its German version Rosamunde (it is possible that the reason for the tune's rapid spread was due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany in 1938, and the subsequent emigration of thousands of Czechs to other parts of the world, bringing this catchy tune with them).
The authors of the English lyrics were Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm. Meanwhile, the song was recorded and played by many others such as The Andrews Sisters in 1939, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Bobby Vinton, Billie Holiday, and Joe Patek [nice Czech family name, there] who sold over a million copies of his album "Beer Barrel Polka."
During World War II, versions in many other languages were created and the song was popular among soldiers, regardless of their allegiances. On VE Day, 9 May 1945, Humphrey Lyttelton played it standing on a handcart outside Buckingham Palace, a performance that could be heard in the BBC broadcast from the victory celebrations.
But these connections aren't that surprising when you consider that about half the composers in Vienna in Mozart's and Haydn's time were of Czech origin and that one of the "fortes" of Czech composers (much like that of Russian ones too) was their ability to come up with memorable melodies and tunes, whether composing "serious" or "light" music.
So I'll roll out the barrel to my great-great uncle Franz Drdla, who only made it to Vienna, but got pretty far even there and is still known today for his tune "Souvenir" (fitting title). =D
@ghostman1178
There's a song in the air,
But the fair senorita
Doesn't seem to care
For the song in the air.
So I'll sing to my mule
If you're sure she won't think that
I am just a fool
Serenading a mule.
Amigo mio, does she not have a dainty bray?
She listens carefully to each little word we play.
La bella senorita?
Si, si, mi muchachito,
She'd love to sing it too if only she knew the way.
But try as she may,
In her voice there's a flaw!
And all that the lady can say
Is "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
You're the one for me.
There's a light in her eye,
Tho' she may try to hide it,
She cannot deny,
There's a light in her eye.
Oh! the charm of her smile
So beguiles all who see her
That they'd ride a mile
For the charm of her smile.
Amigo mio, is she listenin' to my song?
No, no, mi muchachito, how could you be so wrong?
La bella senorita?
Si, si, la senorita,
If she knew all the words,
Well, maybe she'd sing along . . .
Her face is a dream
Like an angel i saw!
But all that my darlin' can scream
Is: "e-e-aw!"
Senorita donkey sita, not so fleet as a mosquito,
But so sweet like my chiquita,
You're the one for me.
You're . . . the one . . . for me!
@maureen1938
It's always a pleasure to listen to the one and only Mario Lanza who left us far too early. He had a beautiful voice. Thank you for posting this.
@AlbertoRodriguez-hz4tx
Es tan majestuosa la interpretación de Mario, que la pronunciación en el cambio de idiomas no se equivoca, ni le falla el acento perfecto del español. NO TIENE IGUAL SU PERFECCIÓN DE IDIOMA, SENTIMIENTO Y GRAN VOZ
@SandraHovey-cz4xw
Love listening to Mario. A great singer.
@ianreynolds8552
One of the best tenors i ve heard from the 20th century! A Golden voice , had Mario Lanza had lived longer he would have gone on to greater things.
@AlfredBernasek-vm2jt
EINER DER BESTEN ÜBERHAUPT ❤
@Milordvega
This was originally Allan Jones' song, and he was a fine tenor.
But oh my goodness, MARIO LANZA!
@Palmarola2012
Thank you for posting this marvelous performance. It shows Lanza's fantastic talent. A great book explains so much about him. It is the bestseller, A KID FROM PHILADELPHIA, MARIO LANZA, THE VOICE OF THE POETS. It is a series of essays that exhibit his life and ability to be the greatest of tenor and the greatest of performers.
@bettybutton8005
Had a sudden urge to listen to the beautiful Mario Lanza - hearing this song always makes me happy - my stomach ties in knots when I hear those wonderful long notes - so talented - so handsome - smashing
@bettybutton8005
Of course . . . Howard and I go way back xx
@rashidjutt5561
Gxxc