Special Events
A Tale of Two Tenors:
Enrico Caruso & Mario Lanza
INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM TICKETS: $30 public | $25 Guild members & students
Enrico Caruso — Commemorating the Centennial of his Death
WED, JUNE 8, 2-3:30 PM | Jane Marsh
Opera Learning Center
Naples born Enrico Caruso was one of the first major singers to be commercially recorded, releasing recordings from 1902 to 1920, making him an international star. One of the first examples of a global celebrity, Caruso's name became known to millions throughout the world, not only through his records but via newspapers, books, journals, and the media of the 20th century. Join Jane Marsh as she investigates the layered career of Enrico Caruso.
Mario Lanza — Commemorating the Centennial of his Birth
WED, JUNE 15, 2-3:30 PM | Jane Marsh
Opera Learning Center
Mario Lanza, an American tenor of Italian descent, sang at the Hollywood Bowl in 1947. A seven-year film contract was then offered by Louis B. Mayer, the head of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, who heard Lanza. In 1951, Lanza sang the role of tenor Enrico Caruso in the biography, “The Great Caruso”, which produced a million-seller recording and was the top-grossing film of that year. Mario Lanza quickly became known as the American Caruso. Jane Marsh offers insight into the incumbent responsibility of Lanza’s glory and the eventual tragedy of his life and career.