December 12, 2009
Hi Everyone, Today, I got some great news. I will be re-united with a very cherished colleague and old friends Patricia Nessy and Markus Windberger. In July and August we will playing Hanna and Danilo in a new production of "Die lustige Witwe" in Vienna for the Vienna Operettensommer Festival.
In 1998, I had the great pleasure of working with Patricia in "City of Angels" in Amstetten (photo left). We had a blast together. This woman is so spectacularly talented -- an amazing singer, a wonderful actress and comedienne, and take a look at those legs!!
Patricia's husband, the very, very talented stage designer Markus Windberger will be designing the sets for "Witwe". So it will be a real "family affair." I could not be more thrilled.
Regards, Mark
November 19, 2009
Hi Everyone, I just returned from 2 wonderful weeks in the USA. I sang 3 concerts for "Music For All Seasons" in New York. This organization brings music to shelters for battered women, prisons, hospitals, hospices, and old age homes.
I do many concerts to make money, these concerts I did, because they bring me joy! To see the smiles on the faces of the audiences, who might otherwise have NO possibility to hear live music -- is one of the most satisfying things you can possibly imagine.
I also had the chance to spend a bit of time with many, many of my friends, colleagues and family members that I seldom have the opportunity to see. It was a wonderful trip.
I can't wait to return to New York and to see my family in North Carolina. Fortunately, I won't have to wait too long, as I will be returning to the USA for a number of concerts and events in March 2010. I am already looking forward to it.
Regards, Mark
November 3, 2009
Dear, dear friends, thank you all for your emails, cards and Facebook entries for my birthday. I was a bit overwhelmed today by all the thoughtfulness.
I am leaving in the morning for 3 concerts in New York for the charitable organization "Music For All Seasons." I am sooooo looking forward to seeing all my friends and colleagues in New York. On Tuesday, the 10th, I will be singing a small gospel concert in my hometown of Burlington, North Carolina. On the 12th, I will be seeing a number of my friends from high school. -- some of whom I have not seen in 29 years....
As I wrote on Facebook this morning, "Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to Jurassic Park!! It is very strange to get this old (I turned 47 today). I still feel like a kid, but when I look in the mirror, I see a T-Rex staring back at me.. Rrrrrrrrr!
Again, I thank you all for your kindness, generosity and for thinking of me.
Mark
October 27, 2009
I just returned from a successful tour of concerts, which culminated in "Be My Love: A Tribute To Mario Lanza" in Munich, Germany at the Komödie im Bayerischem Hof. It was a fantastic evening. Both a DVD and a LIVE CD will be made from this event. I was in great form and the audience was magnificent. We all had a great time. The staff and the technical crew of the theater were a dream to work with. It was truly a magical night, and some very good news, after quite a few difficult weeks.
Mark
August 30 2009,
Yesterday, I taped a segment for "Das Supertalent". I did not get to advance to the next round of the competition. However, that had nothing to do with my singing. Basically, in my "back story" interview, I was very strongly urged to tell my life story in a manner that was inacceptable to me. It would not have been truthful. I was also not willing to make certain statements that the producers from "Das Supertalent" were hoping for.
Because of legal considerations, I won't go into more detail about it, but suffice it to say, that the last few days have been very difficult for me.
However, that said, I had to finally acknowledge that my principles are more important to me than my own success -- no matter how desperately I want to be successful... These are the choices that we make in life.
Ladies and Gentlemen, EVERYTHING has a price!
Regards,
Mark
May 20, 2009,
My Mom sent me this and I wanted to share it with you.
Enjoy, Mark
An Old Farmer's Advice:
*
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
*Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
*Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
* You cannot unsay a cruel word.
* Every path has a few puddles.
* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back,
you'll enjoy it a second time.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.
* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with,
watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad
judgment.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back
in.
* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin'
somebody else's dog around.
* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the
rest to God.
* Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.
February 3, 2009
Last night, VANESSA VELDHUIS & VALENCIA VALLY and I shot the new video for "Great Big Mama" . We worked really hard, but had a lot of fun. I hope all that fun translates to the screen, when the video is completed.
February 2, 2009
Due to some unforseen distribution problems, I have been forced to postpone the release of "Great Big Mama" until the 25th of February. Hopefully, by then, we'll have gotten all the bugs out of the distribution system. Keep your fingers crossed.
February 1, 2009
I was the judge in a talent contest "So You Wanna Be A Musical Star" near Utrecht, here in Holland. The contest was broadcast live on 90FM -- There were some great young performers there. After the intermission, I sang a few songs from "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Phantom of the Opera." I had a really nice time listening to and watching all that young talent. Photos from that event are online here: http://www.mtpmedia.nl/sld/fm90/
29 January 2009
It's been a while since you've heard from me. My time on the MS Astor was very successful and a lot of fun. I lost 5 Kilos and got my first tan in about 20 years. However, as the old saying goes, "There's no place like home."
On January 24th, we made a casting for women over 90 Kilos to dance with me in my new video "Great Big Mama". You can see some of the contestants here: http://www.markjanicello.net/great%20big%20mama%20CASTING.htm
On Tuesday February 3rd, we will be shooting the new video for "GBM". If you're interested, you can see a demo video for the concept of the new shoot here: http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=-MbeZ1lVRtA&feature=channel_page The new video will be state-of-the-art and is being produced by my colleagues at NuGuRu in Haarlem. http://www.nuguru.nl/
On Wednesday February 3rd, Great Big Mama will be in stores in Holland and will be available for MP3 downloads.
As soon as all the information is available, I'll let you know.
I have also entered into an agreement with Van der Kolk Entertainment as my excluvise book agents for BeNeLux. You can see my profile on their website here: http://www.vanderkolk.nl/exclusief/
There's much more to tell, but I've got to run now! Greetings, Mark
December 9, 2008
I am leaving tomorrow for 6 weeks of concerts on the MS Astor. It's insane here in the office. There's so much that has to be done before I leave. Yesterday, we decided on the final version of "Great Big Mama" and now, I am going to present to you the new CD Cover... Click for a larger view..
As I will be on ship during the holidays, I want to take the opportunity to wish you all health, happiness and success in 2009. Enjoy the holidays! Regards to you all and speak to you in 2009! Mark
December 1, 2008
Today, we started the promotion for my new CD in Holland, "Great Big Mama". I did my interview (planned for November 20th) with De Telegraaf, which went very well. In the coming 3 days will be interviews with a number of other Dutch Media Outlets including the Magazine Party. Things are going very well and pretty much according to plan.
November 20, 2008
I've been living in Holland for 5 years. During this time, I've worked a great deal as an actor in commercials, done a lot of voiceover work and had a number of exhibitions of my paintings. What I haven't done, is make a name for myself as a singer in this country. Well, hopefully, that's about to change. Tomorrow (Friday) De Telegraaf is coming to do a big article on me my career for it's celebrity page. De Telegraaf is the best-read Newspaper in Holland with more than 2 million daily readers. Let's hope this opens some doors for me in my adopted homeland.
November 18, 2008
Quotes
- Jose
Cura, Tenor
Here are a few quotes from the tenor, Jose Cura. He took the words right out of my mouth - Mark
“The music world is fond of labeling people who try to keep you nice and “safe” in the box they have chosen for you. However, it is you who, at the end of your life, will have to explain to that Being who gave you your talents why were you so coward as to not use them all.”
“I’d rather prove myself on stage and think about what’s essential and basic: total, complete honesty and absolute passion.”
“In this world, courage is viewed as a sign of arrogance.”
"The cost of fame is high: you are always in the viewfinder of others, always on the presentation plate. Like John the Baptist’s head…"
"One who appeals to everyone cannot be original. One who appeals to nobody probably does not do good work. But if there are people who hate you and others who really love you, the situation cannot be wrong."
Quotes
- Donald Trump
Donald Trump is an american business Tycoon and a typical New York Success Story. He's a real-estate mogul, who has lived big, played hard and won much more often than he has lost. However, he has lost -- BIG TIME, including a very public bankruptcy in the 1980s. He didn't stay down, though. He picked himself up, and re-built his empire. These are some quotes that I can really relate to. Mark
Think big. Stay focused.
Be paranoid
Keep your Momentum
Be passionate.
Go against the tide.
Hire the best people and watch them (You can’t just trust people. Hire a lawyer to watch your lawyer)
Be lucky.
“The harder I work the luckier I get.” Gary Player.
Get even - to send the word to stop the attacks.
If you are going to have success you need certainty.
To be a winner you have to think like a winner.
Fruition: stick to the vision.
It’s all about networking.
Keep the deal within the bounds of fairness.
#1 rule of negotiations: be able to walk away.