As in "Elvis: A Musical Biography",
in "Be My Love, The Mario Lanza Story" I am once again playing a
legend. By now, I believe that I have cornered the market in playing dead
idols with 5 letters in their first names. After ELVIS and MARIO there's
only JESUS and EVITA and then I am going to have to find a new line of
work...
What makes a legend, exactly?
There are certain people whose
personalities are enormous, bigger sometimes than their own very
celebrated careers. These are individuals whose every tiny gesture (good
and bad) we as a public, devour. When any other would do the same things,
or even similar things, we would be bored or disgusted. However, with
these "chosen" few, we watch with interest, passion, and awe.
Mario Lanza was one such person.
WHY MARIO LANZA?
I am not a sentimental man. I live
generally in and for the future, not the past. However, I have two very
distinct childhood memories that I would like to recall for you. The first
is my mother waking us up almost every day with her singing. (At six o'clock
in the morning she was quite an alarm clock!!) And the second, is the
memory of my mother's face when she would listen to Mario Lanza's
recordings.
My mother is not a person who runs with
trends or fads. She is a real individual. She proudly recalls that when
her girlfriends were all going crazy for Frank Sinatra "The only
concert I ever attended, or even had interest to attend, was one of Mario
Lanza's in New York City when I was a young woman. Now that was something!!!"
Naturally, when I was 10 or 12, I found
her devotion somewhat laughable. One day, after she had listened to
"Be My Love" at least 100 times or more, I asked her to please
tell me who Mario Lanza was. Her answer was at least an hour long and her
description so full of admiration, as I had never heard from her before.
In actual fact, it took years before I
could fully understand my mothers euphoric recollections. In addition to
his voice, Mario was a good-looking man with an athletic build in whom
millions of women were infatuated. More importantly, through his unique
personality and communicative ability he had an indescribable effect on
his audience. It was that combination that created the "Lanza
Legend."
Mario Lanza was a multi-faceted artist.
He could simply sing EVERYTHING: opera, pop or simple italian folksongs.
Today, the record companies would call him a "Crossover Artist".
That, in a word, is the description of a classically-trained musician with
a much broader, "popular" appeal than the normal opera singer.
Already in the 40s and 50s Mario was
successfully paving the way for the successful careers of today's "3
Tenors." However, unlike Pavarotti, Domingo or Carreras, Mario Lanza
was also a movie star. A sensitive, expressive actor, Mario's eight films
are also a legacy to his enormous talents.
That brings us again to the question,
"Why Mario Lanza?"
Being a classically trained opera singer
and actor who has also performed in musicals, made films, done plays,
television and recorded both pop and opera -- I was most intrigued by
Mario's versatility. The idea of playing another "wild one" like
myself proved irresistable.
As I really knew nothing about Mario
Lanza, (nor had I ever seen a film or really heard many of his recordings),
I began to gather information about him and, I was genuinely surprised at
the similarities between our lives and careers.
We lived on the same street in New York,
practically in the same house. We were both working through Columbia
Artists Management. We know and worked with many of the same people. One
of the biggest supporters of my young career was Licia Albanese, who was
not only a co-star, but also a great supporter of Mario.
During one summer, Mario would sing for
the passengers while working with his buddy on a streetcar in New Jersey.
I used to sing on the streets and in the subways of New York and even won
$15,000 in a contest for the "Best Street Performer in America."
They called me the "Domingo of the "D" Train!!"
Mario, a successful classically-trained
artist, had his big "breakthrough" however, with popular culture.
"Be My Love" was the first pop single from a classical artist to
sell a million copies. Although I have sung in 30 operas, (even having
composers write new operas and oratorios for me), I got famous playing
Elvis Presley. My first single was an unreleased Elvis song called
"Will You Still Be There," not "Nessun Dorma."
Additionally, we share so many
viewpoints regarding life and music. One of Mario's goals was to make
classical music as understandable and accepted to the general public as
pop music. That was also the stated purpose of my last show in Vienna:
"The Chamäleon Concert" to present classical music in an
entertaining way for people who would normally never go in an opera house.
Mario's statements about his voice, about agents, producers, and vocal
training--as well as his statements regarding his relationship to his
audience -- were very often word-for-word identical with mine. I won,t
bore you with more.... But, needless to say, my decision was made.
Because this story was so close to my
heart, for the first time in my career, I decided not only to act, but (as
author and director) to take on the full responsibility for bringing Mario's
remarkable legacy to life.
When you undertake to tell the life
story of a legend, you are asking for trouble. No matter what you include,
and no matter what you leave out, there will be those who say, "Oh,
but that was my favorite song." or, "How could you tell this
story without including so-and-so?" or "Why did you include that?"
Mario had a life, that was more
appropriate to a mini-series format than to a musical. His was a life so
full of adventure, personalities, triumphs and tragedies, that to compress
it into an evenings length was quite an undertaking. As in the filming of
bestsellers, or the adaptation of classical literature for the stage,
there has been a necessary compression of time, events and personalities
for the purpose of clairty and dramatic structure.
Those coming to "Be My Love"
looking for a historical document or museum piece will be disappointed.
While trying to remain true to Mario's life, my interest was and remains
the IMPACT of the events on the characters, rather than on specific
details.
To that end, there are a few factual
inaccuracies in the script for "Be My Love." For example,
Kathryn Grayson was not the star of "The Student Prince," Ann
Blyth was. When Mario was in the Army, he was called by his real name
"Alfred Cocozza" not "Mario Lanza." Terry Robinson, Mario's
personal trainer, was not in Europe with him at the time he died.
To these and other charges, I can only plead, "Guilty."
Additionally, when a Superstar dies
young and tragically, many attempting "to honor their memory"
seem to concentrate solely on innuendo, unfounded rumor and gossip rather
than the more obvious accomplishments. Only a coward attacks a man who is
not there to defend himself. That is not entertainment. It is scandalous
at best, and slanderous at worst. That is not my style.
My intention is to present the emotional
life and circumstances of a man named Mario Lanza. I am interested in
presenting the soul of the man, his thoughts, his feelings, his reactions.
When I have accurately communicated that, I have done my job well.
It is no accident, that I named the show
"Be My Love." It was not because it was Mario's biggest hit
record. Mario Lanza was a man of great passions. For 10 brilliant years,
Mario Lanza was love -- Hollywood,s unique version of musical, romantic
love for millions all over the world: love for his family; love for his
music; love for his fans.
Today, 40 years after his death, that
love and passion lives on in his music, his films, and in the memories of
those who heard Mario's thrilling voice asking "Be My Love" and
could only answer "Yes!!!".
I thank you that you have chosen to join
this adventure with me. Enjoy the ride.
Here's to you, Mario. From your newest
fan.
With my warmest regards,
Mark Janicello
