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The Mario Lanza Story

Isobel Williams

Mark Sharman

The Mario Lanza Story: Episode 1

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Episode 1

BBC Radio 2 - The Mario Lanza Story, Episode 1

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa profiles the stormy life of singer Mario Lanza.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa presents the first of two programmes about the stormy life of singer Mario Lanza, featuring Jose Carreras, Terence Stamp and Lanza's daughter Ellisa.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa presents a revealing portrait of an extraordinary singing talent who influenced a whole generation of tenors, including Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. 

Lured away from a promising future in opera by Hollywood's millions, Lanza's career rise was meteoric. Yet his story is a real American tragedy. He suffered ill-health after years of drinking, overeating and crash dieting, there was a split from MGM, and his career was curtailed by an untimely death, at the age of 38. 

The Mario Lanza Story features interviews with, among others, Lanza's daughter Ellisa, his best friend Terry Robinson, renowned tenor Jose Carreras and actor Terence Stamp.

This documentary first broadcast in October 2009, to mark the 50th anniversary of his death [on 7 October 1959].

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

Radio 2: Amazing music. Played by an amazing line-up. The home of great music, entertainment and documentaries

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa profiles the stormy life of singer Mario Lanza

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