- BBC 4
- FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER
- 9PM (BBC2 Tx. in March 2006)
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- LEGENDS
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- Mario Lanza - Singing To The Gods On BBC
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- Mario Lanza was the greatest American tenor of his time,
selling more records at one point than Frank Sinatra. With a golden voice
and looks to match he made audiences swoon for most of a glorious post
war decade. His films and recordings brought opera to the masses
and he was the first tenor superstar and a major influence on many other
singers from Elvis Presley to the three tenors.
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- Split between the desire to establish himself as a serious
opera singer and the temptations of Hollywood, Lanza was tormented by self-doubt,
and resorted to alcohol and over-eating. He died at 38, his promise only
partially fulfilled.
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- The film celebrates Lanza's incomparable talents and
tells as well the tragic story of his brief life.
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- Made in collaboration with Warner Home Video, who will
release a DVD version of the documentary, the programme includes an unusually
generous selection of clips from Lanza's classic MGM and Warners movies,
including "The Great Caruso", "Serenade" and "For
the First Time".
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- Executive Producer for BBC Wales: David M. Jackson
- Editor: Andrew Findlay
- Written, Produced and Directed by Mark Kidel
- A Calliope Media Production for BBC Wales
- 60 minutes
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