Singer, Actor,Author, Director, Poet, Painter and Lyricist.  These are just a few of the words that can be used to describe the multi-talented American, Mark Janicello. 

• Born in New York, Mark decided at the tender age of 3 that he would be an artist.  He's been onstage ever since.  

• His first stage appearance (at 4 years old) was as  soloist in his Grandfather's Church in Brooklyn, NY.

• At 10, Mark wrote and illustrated his first Children's Book "The Cloud Family."  

• His first job as Author/Director/Actor was playing Christopher Columbus in his own production of "The World is Round" that he produced for his elementary school when he was 11 years old...

• Since 1984 Mark has played leading roles in over 23  Musicals, 30 Operas, 12 Plays, 14 Films (including smaller roles in  : "Married to the Mob" with Michelle feiffer, "84 Charing Cross Road" with Anne Bancroft and the leading role in the Independent Film"Mozzarella."  Additionally, he has recorded 24 CDs and appeared more than 100 times on network television.

At the University of North Carolina in Greensboro (Bachelor of Music 1984) Mark began his study to become a professional opera singer.  Under the patronage of Licia Albanese, he continued his studies in New York as a Puccini Foundation Prizewinner, studying with the legendary opera singers Franco Corelli und Margaret Harshaw. 

In 1990, while he was practicing his operatic arias in the New York Subways, Mark was discovered by a famous opera conductor, who just happened to be passing by.  Shortly thereafter, Mark made his Carnegie Hall Debut as Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux" with the Opera Orchestra of New York under the direction of Maestra Eve Queler.

"He's got everything you need to make a world-class career: voice, looks and charisma." - Opern Digest

"A Tenor with a great future"

  - Karl Loebl, Austria's Number One Opera and Theater Critic

1992 – The First Big Success

n 1992, Mark bet on his creative instincts and was named "America's Best Street Performer"  -- beating out 3,000 other contestants from all over the United States.  Mark's winning idea was a reflection of his extraordinary imagination: "What if Elvis never died but just turned into Pavarotti?" The Result: a Crossover Number mixing the singing styles and personalities of Elvis with "It's Now Or Never" and Pavarotti with "O Sole Mio." His performance in Grand Central Station brought not only $15,000.00 but international media attention.

The Breakthrough --  ELVIS: A MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY

"The 2nd King has arrived!!" - Bild Zeitung

He actually wanted to audition for the Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto.  However, on his demo tape, next to his versions of "Il Trovatore" and "Turandot" there was also a recording of the Elvis Hit "Fame and Fortune" to which Mark added an incredible high "D".After 6 months in which they had auditioned over 400 men, amoung them the creme of the crop of Musical performers, Mark Janicello, the opera singer landed the role of the "King of Rock-n-Roll" Elvis Presley.

CONCERT PROMOTER/PRODUCER

His second career as Concert Producer/Promoter begann in 1996 with the Concert Series "ELVIS: The Hollywood Years" 

celebrating the music of legendary Elvis Composer Ben Weisman in Gstaad and Zürich, CH. 

"Mark has a voice that Elvis could have only dreamed about."   - Ben Weisman, Composer of 57 Elvis-Hits.

1998 he founded LaRaven Productions  (named after his 2 daughters  Lara und Raven).   LaRaven Productions was incorporated in 2004

PAINTER

In his youth, Mark was a passionate painter and graphic artist.  Since 2001, he has renewed his childhood interest in painting.  An autodidact, he has undertaken his work in this artistic discipline with the same explosive energy with which he endeavors everything else.  The results speak for themselves.  His first collection of paintings entitled “Erotic Flowers”, has had 4 successful exhibitions in the last 3 years.

Click on the photos for larger views of the paintings or visit the Gallery page: http://www.markjanicello.net/gallery%20page.htm

MUSICAL AUTHOR/PRODUCER

The original Production of  "The Chamäleon Concert"  in  Vienna in 1998 coincided with Mark's first work as Musical Producer.

It was followed by  "Be My Love:  The Mario Lanza Musical  (1999);

"Charlie"  (2001) & (2004)

and  "ELVIS: Die Show, Sein Leben"  (2002/ 2003)

CDS: