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I am not an opera expert. I’m not even an opera fan. I know one opera – Madame Butterfly. My older sister brought home the album, which included the libretto (thank heaven), so I was able to follow the story. Perfect material for a teenage girl – ah, sweet love and then the pain and anguish. Laughing. But I loved Madame Butterfly.
My mother loved Mario Lanza. We were brought up with Mom’s love of Mario. Then we girls (three of us) were in love with him, too. In my (not so) humble opinion, his was the finest tenor voice of the last century – which includes Caruso. I like Placido Domingo and didn’t much care for Pavarotti.
Today – I think ‘especially’ – today, I listen to the finest work Mario ever did. There are only three pieces; I like to keep things simple. Given that any day the order may change, this is the line up:
- The Lord’s Prayer – never fails to bring tears to my eyes. At the end of the clip, notice the actress Spring Byington, bow her head; I don’t think that was acting. I do much the same myself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a3ZzPDvWDE
- The Ave Maria – makes my chest tight and my chin quiver. You’re allowed to laugh when I tell you I memorized the Latin so I could sing along with him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl3fGCSlYa0
- I’ll Never Walk Alone – well, by this time, I’m a blubbering mess and I don’t care. “And He’ll hear the words that I say … ” I know He does. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OQ2Cc6yFz4
I like to think that when we sing at home or in church, to God’s ear, we all sound like Mario. I like that thought.
This music – these words, that voice – never cease to lift me up; to take us to another place.
All Along the Watchtower 
St Augustine is often credited with saying ‘He who sings prays twice’ though there is no evidence that he ever did say that. What he did say though was-
‘Qui enim cantat laudem, non solum laudat, sed etiam hilariter laudat; qui cantat laudem, non solum cantat, sed et amat eum quem cantat.’
‘The one who sings praise, not only praises, but also praises joyfully; the one who sings praise, not only sings, but also loves Him for whom he sings. In the praise by one who confesses the Divine Being, praise actually is a public profession; and in the song of the lover is affection for the Beloved’
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That’s beautiful! I’ve never heard that before. Thank you so much for sharing it.
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The music is sublime, and it does what we so often need. It raises above the cares of this world to a better one – thank you for sharing, Audre.
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For Ave Maria, I favour Alessandro Moreschi.
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I just tried the link, Jock – it comes up as “No results found”.
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Audre – hmmm – strange – I clicked on the link again and it worked fine.
It is Alessandro Moreschi singing, recorded in the Sistine Chapel in 1904, with the approval of the Pope – so it must be good.
He was a Soprano Castrato, who could really hit the high notes and hold them.
A few years ago, my neighbour got a new cat. She had it neutered and then wondered what she should call it. I suggested `Moreschi’ to her and that’s what she called it.
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Try it again Audre, works fine here.
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