Rian Mayer Lyric Tenor
and Host
Rian Mayer, Lyric Tenor sings Bellinis Final Scene with the High F in full voice LIVE!
Rian Mayer, Lyric Tenor sings High D at Postillion from Lonjumeau!
I´m a young Opera student (High Lyric Tenor or Tenor Leggiero) with a range up to High F,F# and G in full voice. I studied in Germany under (Maestra Krohmer, Garagin Houvsepian, Dr.Dimi Palos) and in Los Angeles with Mike Stevens at the Colburnschool.
My biggest passion in Life is the Tenor voice in Opera and I accompish to have a career as Lyric Tenor on the Opera and concert stage in the future. Right now I´m 32 years old and I really feel the development of my voice. Currently I work on the following repertoire.
Adam´s Postillion from Lonjumeau with the infamous High D. I try listen to recordings from Joseph Schmidt Tenor "Freunde vernehmet die Geschichte", Nicolai Gedda´s version and two German Tenors who are unfortunetly not so well known like Josef Traxel and Alfons Fügel.
I also work on the Tenor Aria´s from Bellini´s Puritani like Vieni fra queste braccie with two High Ds and High C and most of all with the final secene "Crediasi misera". I sing here a HIGH F in full voice.
I always loved the beauty of Fritz Wunderlich´s Lyric Tenor. Unfortunately he died with only 36 Years on a accident. Therefore "Ave Maria" from Bach-Gounod and "Wolgalied. Allein Wieder allein" is my biggest inspiration here. I sing the highest version in G-major like Wunderlich.
The High Bnatural here is the higgest note. Other great versions are from Luciano Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus, which is beside Gedda and Wunderlich and some say Di Stefano the best Lyric Tenor ever. I also love some rare recordings from Andre d´Arkor, a belgian noble Tenor or the film version of polish Tenor Jan Kiepura. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMW_xuphUJA
Just recently Juan Diego Florez did a good version in a Christmas show in Vienna.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vawnfrv7n7I
My further repertoire right now is Danny Boy and Irish and also American Evergreen.
Here is my favorite version of Maria Lanza.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vawnfrv7n7I
The great American Tenor Eugene Conley did a very interesting version, singing the second strophe with High A in a very tasteful piano instead of forte.
Then I work further on Mozar´s Magic flute " Dies Bildnis ist bezaubern schön". Once again here is Fritz Wunderlich the measure as well and the Operata "Der Vogelhändler" with the most beautiful tune "Wie mei Ahnelr 20 Jahr.
i try to add as much Mario Lanza songs in my repertoire as possible. So I sing "Be my Love" like Lanza I sing the final High C here, too. And a wonderful song from the Mario Lanza´s movie "Because you are mine" called "the Song angels sing, I sing the final High Db, like in the movie.
This piece is a transciption from Johannes Brahms Symphony Nr. 3.
BIOGRAPHY OF LEGENDARY TENORS
1) Mario Lanza 1921-1959
Mario Lanza was born as Alfred (do) Arnold Cocozza on January, 31th 1921 as the only child of Tony and Mario Cocozza in South Philadelphia . His parents were Italian Immigrants. His father inherit Mario the love of Italian Opera music. And since his Childhood he was listen to the Great Italian Tenors like Caruso, Gigli, Martinelli, Schipa and others.
Especially Enrico Caruso, who died in the same year when Mario Lanza was born, was his Hero.
Even though Caruso´s voice didn´t have nothing in common with his own voice. Caruso voice had a more baritonal timbre as Lanza´s. And Caruso always had Problems with the High notes. In his youth his voice broke permanttly at the HIGH A and it take him Years to sing a satiesfied High B in Verdi´s Aida. Caruso was not really a "High C" Tenor. Mario Lanza in his Prime had a wonderful High C and D above the C. The recordings of Be My Love with a godly High C finish and on the Legendary RCA Recording "Che gelida manina" from Puccini´s
La Boheme and many others proof that.
He could sing a wonderful High Cflat and Des like in Verdi´s Rigoletto "Addio Addio" or on the Song "The Song Angel sings" from the movie "Because you are mine". The High Notes were never a Problem for Lanza. He was the First you sing the Mexican Song "Granada" with the High C. Franco Corelli and Fritz Wunderlich followed him later. But Lanza´s Recording of "Granada" is and was always the measure for all Tenors.
Mario Lanza studied first voice with local vocal Coach Irene Williams in Philadelphia and later on the famous Tanglewood Music Seminar.
His most famous Vocal Teacher was Enrico Rosati, one of the best Teachers ever. Rosati coaches the legendary Italian Tenor Beniamino Gigli before. And saw in Mario Lanza a God-gaven Voice and the voice which he waited for "30 Years". But he also realized Lanza´s Stage-fright very fast. He arranged a audition with the Legendary Conductor Arturo Toscanini an audition. But Lanza did´t feel ready for this hard Test and canceled the audition. Toscanini said when he listened Lanza´s Recordings: "The Greatest Voice of the 20th Century".
Mario Lanza performed only 2 Times on the Opera Stage one time in the role of Fenton of the Merry Widows of Windsor from Nicolai and as Linkerton in Puccini´s Madame Butterfly.
He toured a while with the Baritone George London, who had a great Opera career later on and with the Soprano Francis Yeend as the Belcanto Trio.
After a great Performance at the Hollywood Bowl on August, 28th 1947, Louis B.Mayer invented him as singing "Clark Gable" for MGM.
He appeared in his first Movie " A Kiss at Midnight" from 1949 as Truckerdriver, who made a Career as Tenor. His next Movie had a similiar background, this TIme he played a Fisherman with a great Tenor voice, he fell in Love with a famous Soprano and will have a great Career on the Opera stage later on.
In the next movie he played his hero Caruso, in this movie Lanza was in vocal bestform. And many people thought he even overshadowed Caruso with his voice. The Next movie"Because you´re mine" was a Military story, a famous Tenor was called in the Army and fell in Love with the Sister of his Seargeant. In this Movie we have great performance of Granada, the Lord´s Prayer and many others. After this movie Lanza had some personal problems, which we stressed out in his next movie "The Student Price". He didn´t like to work with his director there and didn´t show up on the movieset, so they only used his voice, the leading role was occupied with Edmund Purdom.
1955 he played the leading role in Anthony Mann Serenade, where he sings a lot of Opera Arias. Nessun Dorma from Puccini´s Turondot, Verdi´s Di quella Pira from "Il Trovatore", Di rigori armato il seno etc. show that Lanza could have one of the greatest Opera careers ever.
After that movie he left Hollywood unsatisfied and movied to the Country were his Family come originally, Italy. Here he mad two Movies until he died with only 38 Years on April 1959.
He had 4 Children Colleen, Marc, Damon and Elisa. Only Elisa Lanza-Bregman is still alive.
Mario Lanza Tenor voice was one of the most beautiful Tenors ever. Unique in his Timbre, His was between a Full Lyric and Spinto Tenor with a range from the Low A until the High D above C. He could have been a great Rodolfo in Boheme, Duke in Rigoletto, Cavaradossi in Tosca and many more. He was like Schmidt and Wunderlich not ready with his Development. What a Tragedy.
Nobody could sing Tenor Arias and Musical Tunes and the Pop Songs of the Day like Mario Lanza, that makes him unique in any Time.
Movies with Mario Lanza:
1944 Winged Victory
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1949 That Midnight Kiss
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1950 The Toast of New Orleans
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1951 The Great Caruso
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1952 Because You´re mine
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1954 The Student Prince
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1956 Serenade
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1958 Seven Hills of Rome
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1959 For the First Time
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Books of Mario Lanza:
1) Roland L.Bessette Tenor in Exile
2) Joseph Schmidt 1904-1942
Joseph Schmidt was born on March, 4th 1904 in the small Town of Davideny (Austria-Hungrary, then Romania). Today it belongs to Ukraine.
Schmidt grew up under multicultural Influences and studied several languages like Yiddisch, Hebrew, German, English, French and Romanian. As a Child he sung as Alto-Boy in the Synagogue Chorus.
In 1924 he performed in his first Concert in his Hometown Czernowitz with Jewish Songs and Arias from Rossini to Bizet. He moved to his Uncle Leo Engel, who also became his manager and studied at Berlin Conservatory under Mr.Hermann Weissenborn and Ms.Dr.Jaffe
voice and piano. His voice was a high lyric Tenor voice with the range up to the High D above the High C and good colleratura abilites. His recordings from the Adam´s Postillion from Lonjumeau "Freunde vernehmet die Geschichte" is beside Nicolai Gedda recording the example for all Tenors until today.
1929 he had has breakthrough when he performed the famous Stretta from Verdi´s "Il Trovatore" with the High Cs before Cornelius
Bronsgeest, a famous Dutch Baritone, who was the Chief of the Berlin radio broadcast. On this radio program he stared in over _____ Tenor roles.
Because his small height (Schmidt was only 1,50 m tall) he couldn´t have a Career on the Opera stage, but his voice was pefect for the radio and the recording. Schmidt was signed with Ultraphona and later Odeon records.
He did many outstanding recordings such as Adam´s Postillionaria with the High D and C.
In Verdi´s "Di quella Pira" he has interpolated a High C. Or "Che gelida manina" from Puccini´s La Boheme is very well performed. The High C on there is outstanding, totally effortless.
1931 his movie career in Germany was started, with his first movie "Ein Lied geht um die Welt" Ironically it was the same Year were the Nazis and Hitler came in Power. As a Jew Joseph Schmidt was pursued that Day and for the rest of his life he was on escape from the Nazi regime. First he moved to Vienna (Austria) and made some more movies there such like "Ein Stern fällt vom Himmel 1934" "Wenn Du jung bist gehört Dir die Welt 1934" "Heut ist der schönste Tag in meinem Leben 1936".
He performed all over the World, 1934 in Israel and 1937 in the United States. March, 7th 1937 he had a concert performance at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York. Only one time he could perform on the Opera stage in 1939 in the role of Rudolfo in Puccini´s Boheme in a concert tour thru Belgium and
Nederlands. After he was back from his Concert Tour from America he had to escape from Austria in 1938, which already belong to the Third Reich.
First he went to Nederland and Belgium and November 1940 he went to France where the put him in a Escape camp for German Jews in the South of France. After many tries he could reach Swizzerland in 1942 where he died on a Heart attak with only 38. One Day after his working permission arrived. Schmidt is burried at the Jewish graveyard "Friesenberg" in Zurich.
His memorial tablet carry the name "A Star falls Joseph Schmidt, Kammersänger 1904-1942".
Joseph Schmidt had beside Fritz Wunderlich and Jussi Björling the finest pure Lyric Tenor voices of all times. His effortlessness especially in the upper register was unique and only a few other Tenors could here be compared with him. He could reach High Bflat´s, B´s, C, C# and even the infamous and demanding High D in Adam´s Postillion with ease without covering the tone.
Only Nicolai Gedda and two other not so famous Tenors Josef Traxel and Alfons Fügel can be considered in the same Level and class.
Schmidt sung Italian Songs with the same diction and passion of an Italian and his Operetta works sounds so easy and free. That´s how it should be performed. His performances from "O Sole mio" "Tiritomba" is beside Mario Lanza´s andPavarotti´s interpretation pathbreaking for all Lyric Tenors, like myself, in this repertoire.
Schmidt Tenor voice is well focused around the passagio area and above. The Head voice always has a stronger impact like the Chest voice, that´s good Italian school for the Tenor voice and the way a Tenor voice has to be built.
movies with Joseph Schmidt
-Der Liebesexpreß Deutschland 1931
-Goethe lebt...! Deutschland 1932
-Gehetzte Menschen Deutschland 1932
-Ein Lied geht um die Welt Deutschland 1933
-Wenn du jung bist gehört Dir die Welt Österreich (1934)
-Ein Stern fällt vom Himmel Österreich (1934)
-Heut ist der schönste Tag in meinem Leben Österreich (1936)
-Ein Lied geht um die Welt. Die Joseph Schmidt Story with Hans Reiser as Joseph Schmidt 1958
3) Nino Martini Tenor 1905-1976
The Opera Tenor and movie star Nino Martini was in Verona Italy, on August 7th, 1902 (or on August 8th 1905).
Martini studied in Paris with the famous Tenor Giovanni Zenatello and with his wife Maria Gay and made his Opera debut his Duke in Verdi´s Rigoletto in 1925 in Milan, Italy. In the same Year La Scala at Milan arrange his debut in Bellini´s Puritani. After 100 Years for the first Time Martini sung the final scene in original key with the infamous High F.
There is a outstanding recording of the aria Crediasi misera where he sings it a half step down, not with the High F but the High E there is just amazing.
November 1932 Nino Martini signed a record contract with the famous Label Columbia, which included 2 radio concerts a week.
Nino Martini was signed with the Metropolitan Opera of New York City for the season 1933-1934.
Martini studied in Paris with the famous Tenor Giovanni Zenatello and with his wife Maria Gay and made his Opera debut his Duke in Verdi´s Rigoletto in 1925 in Milan, Italy. In the same Year La Scala at Milan arrange his debut in Bellini´s Puritani. After 100 Years for the first Time Martini sung the final scene in original key with the infamous High F.
There is a outstanding recording of the aria Crediasi misera where he sings it a half step down, not with the High F but the High E there is just amazing.
November 1932 Nino Martini signed a record contract with the famous Label Columbia, which included 2 radio concerts a week.
Nino Martini was signed with the Metropolitan Opera of New York City for the season 1933-1934.
His entire Opera repertoire included only 13 leading Tenor roles: Verdi´Rigoletto, Bellini´s Puritani,
Bizet Les Pecheurs de Perles, Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi La Traviata, Puccini´s Gianni Schicchi, Puccini La Boheme, Donizetti Linda di Chamounix, Puccini La Rondine, Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia, Puccini Madame Butterfly, Donizetti Don Pasquale, Gounoud Faust. Beside the Opera work he performed a lot of Italian, spanish songs and moviethemes.
Nino Martini was most definetely a Tenore di Grazia(Tenore Leggiero), who also sing in the Lyric Tenor repertoire. His voice had a upper range to the HIGH f above High C. His recording of Serrano´s Te Quiero Morena includes astonish final High D, which I have never heard before!!!!
Nino Martini was discovered by Jesse Louis Lasky, while he was performing in Paris. He had his first role in Hollywood in the picure "Paramount on Parade" in 1930. Other role follwed like Here´s to Romance (1935), The Gay Desperado (1936) in which he sung some outstanding material like the mexican Love Song "Estrellita" by Manuel Ponce, Celeste Aida by Verdi or the mexican Folk Song "Cielito Lindo" with interpolated High C´s and even a High D!!!. 1937 he stared together with Joan Fontaine in Music for Madame. One of his last Pictures where the British Production "One Night with you" in 1948.
This movie his also some great singing included. Martini´s sounds fuller than in the 30´s. He sings an outstanding version of "O Paradiso" (with an interpolated High Dflat), the Traviata "Brindisi" and two beautiful Songs from Bixio in English "A Path through the forest" (=La Strada del bosco) and Soli,soli nella notte. the movie was directed by Terence Young, who would later go on to direct 4 of the James Bond movies.
Bizet Les Pecheurs de Perles, Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi La Traviata, Puccini´s Gianni Schicchi, Puccini La Boheme, Donizetti Linda di Chamounix, Puccini La Rondine, Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia, Puccini Madame Butterfly, Donizetti Don Pasquale, Gounoud Faust. Beside the Opera work he performed a lot of Italian, spanish songs and moviethemes.
Nino Martini was most definetely a Tenore di Grazia(Tenore Leggiero), who also sing in the Lyric Tenor repertoire. His voice had a upper range to the HIGH f above High C. His recording of Serrano´s Te Quiero Morena includes astonish final High D, which I have never heard before!!!!
Nino Martini was discovered by Jesse Louis Lasky, while he was performing in Paris. He had his first role in Hollywood in the picure "Paramount on Parade" in 1930. Other role follwed like Here´s to Romance (1935), The Gay Desperado (1936) in which he sung some outstanding material like the mexican Love Song "Estrellita" by Manuel Ponce, Celeste Aida by Verdi or the mexican Folk Song "Cielito Lindo" with interpolated High C´s and even a High D!!!. 1937 he stared together with Joan Fontaine in Music for Madame. One of his last Pictures where the British Production "One Night with you" in 1948.
This movie his also some great singing included. Martini´s sounds fuller than in the 30´s. He sings an outstanding version of "O Paradiso" (with an interpolated High Dflat), the Traviata "Brindisi" and two beautiful Songs from Bixio in English "A Path through the forest" (=La Strada del bosco) and Soli,soli nella notte. the movie was directed by Terence Young, who would later go on to direct 4 of the James Bond movies.
During his career Nino Martini only returnted to his Hometown Verona two times, one in October 1949 for a beneficial concert and on March 1950 for a performance of Puccini´s "Madame Butterfly".
Nino Martini was an man, of great gentility and deep generosity. In memory of his parents he wanted to donate to the Children Hospital of Verona to help children, who are hit from the polio.
In December 1976 he returned to Italy to perform at a Festival close to Verona. During the banquet before the festival, he got his first heart infarct. The same night at the hospital of Trenot-Village he got his second and fatal heart infarct and died at December, 9th.
Nino Martini was an man, of great gentility and deep generosity. In memory of his parents he wanted to donate to the Children Hospital of Verona to help children, who are hit from the polio.
In December 1976 he returned to Italy to perform at a Festival close to Verona. During the banquet before the festival, he got his first heart infarct. The same night at the hospital of Trenot-Village he got his second and fatal heart infarct and died at December, 9th.
Recordings with Colombia and RCA:
-Ponce: Estrellita
-Bixio: A Path through the forest
-Puccini: Boheme Che gelida manina
-Serrano: Te quiero morena with HIGH D
-Ponce: Estrellita
-Bixio: A Path through the forest
-Puccini: Boheme Che gelida manina
-Serrano: Te quiero morena with HIGH D
Mario Lanza Tenor sings a High Db!!! "The Song Angels Sing"
Jussi Björling Tenor with a High C "Gounoud Faust: Salut demeure chaste et pure"
Sheetmusic for Tenor in Opera, Song, Operetta and Oratoria
1. Lyric Tenor Collection: Ecco ridente, Una furtiva Lagrima, Che gelida manina
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Lyric-Tenor-Aria-Collection/18785303?id=436097
2. Dramatic Tenor Collection: In fernem Land, Winterstürme, Morgenlicht leuchtet..
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Helden-Tenor-Aria-Collection/18785285?id=436097
3. Spinto Tenor Collection: La Donne e mobile, Di quella Pira, Recondita armonia,
E lucevan le stelle, Vesti la Giubba
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Spinto-Tenor-Aria-Collection/18785295?id=436097
4. Arias for Tenors:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Spinto-Tenor-Aria-Collection/18785295?id=436097
5. Tenor Oratorio
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/The-Oratorio-Anthology-Tenor/2974602?id=436097
Contents:
Quia fecit mihi magna Composed by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Deposuit potentes Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Benedictus Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Ach, mein Sinn Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Geduld, Geduld Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Frohe Hirten, eiltch eilet Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Meine Seele ist erschuttert Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Te ergo quaesumus Composed by Anton Bruckner
Sanctus Composed by Charles Francois Gounod
Gentle airs, melodious strains! Composed by George Frideric Handel
The enemy said Composed by George Frideric Handel
Waft her, angels Composed by George Frideric Handel
Sound An Alarm! Composed by George Frideric Handel
Comfort ye, my people; Ev'ry valley shall be exalted Composed by George Frideric Handel See Behold, and see if there be any sorrow; But Thou didst leave His soul in hell Composed by George Frideric Handel
Thou shalt break them Composed by George Frideric Handel
Total eclipse Composed by George Frideric Handel
Hier steht der Wand'rer nun Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
Mit Wurd' und Hoheit angetan Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
Fac me cruce custodiri Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
If with All Your Hearts Composed by Felix Bartholdy Mendelssohn
Then shall the righteous shine forth Composed by Felix Bartholdy Mendelssohn
Strikke des Todes Composed by Felix Bartholdy Mendelssohn
Sei getreu bis in den Tod Composed by Felix Bartholdy Mendelssohn
Gratias agimus tibi Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Domine Deus Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Cujus animam Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Domine, ego credidi Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Ingemisco Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Peccator videbit Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
6. Arias for Tenor and Orchestra from the repertoire of Andrea Bocelli
7. Mozart Tenor Arias
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Opera-Arias-Tenor/4995221?id=436097
Contents:
Dalla sua pace
Del piu sublime soglio
Un'Aura Amorosa
Il Mio Tesoro
Che belta, che leggiadria
Sento, che il cor mi dice
Grossen Dank dir abzustatten
Ah, se fosse intorno al trono
A Se all'imperomici Dei
Ah! lo veggio
Tradito, schernito
O Wie Angstlich
Frisch zum Kampfe
Wenn der Freude Tranen fliessen
Ich baue ganz auf deine Starke
Care pupille, pupille belle
Cosa ha mai la donna indosso
In voi, belle, e leggiadria
Se il tuo duol
Fuor del mar
Torna la pace al core
Il desio di vendetta
Guerrier, che d'un acciaro
In quegli anni
Si spande al sole in faccia
Se vicendo vi rendo felici
Voi che fausti ognor donate
Di che sei l'arbitra
Rase, Schicksal, wute immer
Herr und Freund, wie dank' ich dir
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
8.O sole mio for Tenor in Aflat
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/O-sole-mio-orchestration-in-A-flat/3214811?id=436097
Rian Mayer, Lyric Tenor sings "Un´aura amorosa(=Der Odem der Liebe) LIVE" from Mozart
