Mario Lanza has been my absolute favourite tenor since 1954 - I'm 80 now. I think his rendition in the clown suit was the best.

My dear Mother would cry every time he performed this particular piece. He was truly magnificent.

I'm 59 yrs old. I've known that song my whole life, but I didn't know what it means.. I never understood why people cried at the Opera, and now I can't stop crying because of this song

I can’t decide. No, yes, I can. The first, his voice so pure. The second, because his voice is wonderful and his acting in that scene moved me. I think his is the best voice in opera.

There is something about being in the pagliacci makeup that adds an emotional weight to that amazing ending to the song. He sells the pain in the second version.

Just came upon this for the first time, and I am in tears 💕 Vincent, you have such a gift of bringing Mario back to life by your presentation … They were both amazing performances … He sang with so much passion that you can feel the pain of believing that he was totally immersed in what he was singing … He became Canio 💔 Thank you again for your dedication of keeping the memory of Mario alive … Emma Fasano Lambusta

Both are astounding, especially the first when you accept that he was still in his 20’s, also there is nearly a decade between both performances and the recording industries technological advancements throughout the start of the 50s to 1960 were absolutely astounding ( living stereo / RCA etc) so we would expect the later recording to sound much fuller and more real than the rather flat sound of the earlier recording. Let’s remember they were still releasing a lot of recordings on 78 in 1951 ! Both are super super but if you listen with today’s ears then it will be the second. With all that he went through I would say the second comes more from the heart. The laugh is also ever so slightly better in the second.

Absolutely both were outstanding. Mario Lanza put his whole heart into whatever he sang. It touches your soul. What a gift from God.

The second. It has so much passion and the heartbreak is felt so strongly.

My mother would play her 78 RPM recordings of Mario Lanza, and tell me that he was the best since the Great Caruso. Even as a youngster who really enjoyed my older sister playing her 45's of Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist Again", I couldn't help but realize that those scratchy 78's put the hip swinging Twist to shame. As to the implied question; His 1951 concert presentation is great, and stands without apology as a great rendition. The 1959 performance has two big plus's, however - the context of costume and setting, and more feeling and maturity. I have had the great fortune to hear both Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo at the New York Metropolitan Opera. I will tell you though that my best night at the opera was after my mother came to accept her diagnosis of terminal cancer and agreed to move back from her retirement home in Florida and move in with me. I took her to the Met for her first live opera performance. The look of joy on her face warms me to this day.

The very great Lanza, with the beautiful voice, phenomenal interpretation. MARIO LANZA, Worldwide present 2023.

Not only a powerhouse voice like Caruso's but his emotions come across like his acting Magnificent 👏👏👏👏👏👏

Vincent Di Placido, many thanks for this amazing gift to all! It's hard to compare the records because of the different audio recording techniques in 1951 and 1959. Mario is truly fantastic in both.

Goosebumps every time at listening both versions... Something outlandish!

Both are magnificent interpretations. However I agree with you Vince that the second is more in line with the tragic pathos of the role. The playing of both simultaneously is a stroke of genius Vince, it clearly demonstrates that although the voice had matured that there was no deterioration whatsoever.

Ho ascoltato attentamente le due versioni, due voci bellissime ma diverse! Quella del Grande Caruso, giovane e brillante ma quella dell'ultimo film è magnifica, la voce di un uomo pieno di rabbia e malinconia assieme, una voce matura e potentissima come era Mario in quel momento.Il mondo della lirica ha perso un grande e sensibile interprete ma è solo grazie a quei film che noi lo possiamo rivedere e riascoltare come se fosse ancora presente.

Greatest tenor that ever lived

Both are magnificent and breathtaking, bravo

No one can touch his beautiful strong voice, the best others can only try to better.

I was very lucky to see this movie . Mario Lanza was superb . Beautiful voice , excellent dramatic actor . Millie Grazie .

His voice and personality combined, then edited to combine a stage performance with a film performance, this is a top notch video. Lanza/Pinza has a permanent place in my heart. ❤️ Thank you for sharing this with us.

Both perfect ,amazing performances

Grandissimo tenore 👏👏👏👏👏🌷

I love this man so much he as the most beautiful voices in the world

How is it possible to choose? Both are wonderful, outstanding, breathtaking, devastating

A wonderful way to end my day what a performance.

Love them both. To see him in a tux and then to see him in costume. I wish this man would have taken care of himself and his health issues. The Lord only knows how many more years he would have lived.

Both are outstanding! Given that in the first one Lanza was only 29, his singing and interpretation of Canio’s anguish are remarkable, while the voice is at its Lirico -Spinto best. Eight years later the sound is distinctively more Spinto but the performance is equally heartbreaking. Which do I prefer? Actually, I love them both! And, once again, great work, Vince!

I prefer the depth and timbre of his voice in the performance in 1959. I also feel in his maturity he has the life experience to feel the emotions of the piece more deeply. Both are great but 1959 has the edge in my opinion.

I prefer the 1959 rendition. His voice had far more resonance plus a rounder and deeper sound. But, either one is fantastic.

This aria, perhaps more than any other, is one that allows the study of Mario’s vocal growth over a period of 20 years. He was recorded singing this from the early age of 19 till one in his last movie. My favorite has always been the one from Caruso ( mostly because he doesn’t take a breath in the last part before the word “infranto”), but the latter one is fabulous as well.

Здесь Ланца может проиграть,только самому себе! Какой с смех трагический, какое "р" ивообще, как актер-певец, он непревзойденный,а эта ария Канио бесподобная,никто так не спел, а какая сила в голосе и красота!!! ♥️ Супер!!! ♥️ ♥️ ♥️

Siempre existirán grandes Tenores de calidad, pero la voz no es suficiente, el saber compenetrarse con el tema y vivirlo, sentirlo como una realidad lo convierten en un GRAN ESPECTACULO, que es muy difícil conseguirlo. Por ello, verlo a DON MARIO LANZO siempre a de ser ALGO CELESTIAL. Son gentes tocadas por EL ALTISIMO.

brilliant voice

The greatest singer of all time!

Bellísimo,grandioso: Lanza vs Lanza,gracias por subirlo.

Both performances are exceptional, but the later, in the style of the pagliacco, has always made me cry. As it always did Mama. Lanza was her favourite, I grew up listening and watching her reactions. Thank you for these vidéos. Sincerely, Catari.

Insuperabili interpretazioni come sempre tutte le altre , inimitabile, sempre fa vibrare l'anima di grande emozione , le sue note echeggeranno per sempre nel nostro cuore , grazie di ciò che hai saputo regalarci ,un saluto e un abbraccio !

... Мастерство певца потрясает!!! Между эпизодами фильмов, почти 8 лет: слово в слово, нота в ноту👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🌹🌹🌹

What a glorious instrument ... overwhelming ... thank you for this Vince

He was magnificent

Sublime Mario Lanza. Ambas versiones excelentes, pero si, la ultima interpretación con su vos mas madura suena mas adecuada a este dramático aria. Gracias Vincent Di Placido por la edición.

Thank you Vincent that was fantastico! Thanks for all the effort you clearly put into making that. Mario has me totally ruined, especially when Classic FM play this aria, but is sung by the latest modern tenor ( or really heart throb....).

Agree, essays can be written. Both are magnificent, however the latter offers that splendour of a fully burnished voice - unbeatable quality. Thanks for sharing.

Vince, by no means can I give preference to one or the other. Both are equally superb! Maybe Mario sounds a little more dramatic/heroic in the later version. Of course his being dressed as a clown adds to the expressive power of the aria and underlines the heartbreaking he suffers. But then again, did Mario ever look more terrific than in "The Great Caruso," especially in this scene, when wearing a tuxedo?!!!! I just was reminded of what Hans Söhnker, his film partner in "For the First Time," commented in the Berlin interview in 1958: „Es war eine meiner größten Impressionen, als ich wie ein Mäuschen in Rom mitten im Zuschauerraum saß und hörte ihn und sah ihn das erste Mal in meinem Leben- und ich habe schon viele Bajazzos gesehen - in dem Monolog - das war für mich das größte Erlebnis, das war die schönste Stimme, die ich je gehört habe, und auch darstellerisch war ich ergriffen. Ich habe den ganzen Vormittag eigentlich gebraucht, um mich wieder zu beruhigen.“ „It was one of my greatest impressions, when I was sitting in the audience in Rome, like a little mouse, hearing and seeing him for the very first time in my life in the monologue - and I had already seen many Pagliacci. This, to me, was the biggest experience and the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard, and I also was carried away by his acting. It took me a whole morning to calm myself.“

Sin lugar a dudas la primera versión. Qué difícil cantarla y vive el personaje con todo sentimiento y emoción. UN GIGANTE DE LA OPERA.

Bellissimo. Moves me to tears, to think that so many times during the last few years of his life, Mario himself must have had to smile and laugh, when he was heartbroken over all the loss and betrayal.

This is amazing, thank you so much!👍👏

What a treat, Vince! Thank you! I have a chapter in my book The One Tenor entitled Which Vesti Is Besti, drawing on the multiple recordings Mario made of the aria. I come down in favour of the alternate take he made for The Great Caruso as opposed to the one actually used which you have reproduced here. The latter is fantastic regardless, as is the later For The First Time performance. Hearing them back to back, along with your imaginative use of the visuals, is pure ecstasy. Best moment: when you play them both simultaneously!! May we have the whole duet please?! :-)

1951, more rounded & powerful but, both superb!!

En mis 72 años sigo emosionandome como cuando mi padre me llevaba al cine, que recuerdos, lindo viajar en el tiempo

i have all movies Lanza is in, TYVM for this!!! Spread the word!!!

I love both of them. I couldn't make a choice. I love the words being under them. He certainly feels what he's singing because I feel it. So sad but wonderful.

Лучшего исполнения нет! Браво Марио Ланца, брависсимо дорогой Марио Ланца

Thank you!!!! I love Mario voice. Both of versions are beautiful

So beautiful ❤️!

Мой любимый😍💕 человек и Великой певец и артист

I think his rendering of the first was Lanza's mimicking of Caruso. There's a lot of similarities. I prefer the second rendition and believe that it was more from his own idea of how the aria should be sung.

May we always remember Mario Lanza has a great singer a man was Charisma and excellent excellent voice soft and mellow soft and mellow the voice does not tiring to hear or frustrating to hear and as I was going to say it again God blessed Mario Lanza God have him in his memory Viva Mario Lanza

Лучшего тенора нет не было и не будет, а жаль. Не только голос но и драматизм его игры

i have listened a few times to both and there is not much in either so i have to turn to the passion given, and the film version takes it, with the heart rendering sadness shown in the costume clown pouring out the heart ache of his life is superb,he was the greatest tenor of all time, he fills in the parts of seamless transition other tenors cant do, its strange that caruso had the same voice but just didnt understand the passion needed and was far to quick in his voicing, mario was my mothers favorite and every sunday was her day for listening and i also did,brings back my childhood of endless day listening, to the greatest voice you will ever hear, well done for this.

Magnífico

i am 79 and have been listening to lanza since i was a child in the 1940s thanks to my parents playing his recordings. i still love his performences but i think the second one is slightly better and the makeup and costume help the visual effect (peter newbrook not josephine).

Vince, just LOVED it

8 years between recordings and the voice is still the same,a truely fine tenor,and he died soon after and so there are thankfully no recordings when maybe his voice would have been going ,Mario Lanza deserves to be one of the top tenors of the 20th centuary.

Конечно "театральный". Внутренний темпоритм, тембры, энергия слова - всё ярче и объемнее. Этим он и велик - не любуется собой ни секунды, выкладывается до конца, при этом тончайшим образом чувствуя разницу между исполнением ариозо в концерте и проживанием куска жизни героя на театральной сцене.

Bravo maestro Lanza

Both versions are amazing. There is more raw passion in the earlier version though the weight of the later voice gives a better performance of Canio. So I was leaning to the later version being the best until the final two notes! I don’t know why he ended it on the same Note without the glissando down. That’s the only thing in the later version which spoils it for me. Having said that it is amazing to be able to compare the early Lanza alongside his more mature voice and see exactly how far his voice had matured! How sad, since the tenor voice continues to improve with age for quite some time, that we never got to hear Mario fully matured! His voice was and still is the most amazing tenor sound ever. Heaven only knows how much more he had to give 💔💔💔💔💔

Thank you for this.

Great job! Both are excellent of course, but like yourself, I prefer the later version. Having said that, I also very much like the thrilling performance he gave on the radio back in 1948 on the Charlie McCarthy Show!

While he is a great film star and he is magnificent, I prefer his bravado strength while in concert. Simply an amazing performance! On a personal note, Daddy i can't thank you enough for your love of Mario Lanza and me growing up listing to "your" music. Your music is now MY music! It lives with me all these years later. Your presence is with me when I listen. So tremendously thankful Daddy!

thank you for the wonderful editing whcih was seanless and did justice to the man, voice and acting. I loved both but perhaps the emotional/grieving second one a bit more. I would have liked to see both again and full lenght.

LANZA VS LANZA: 🤗 VS 🤗 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋 Марио 1951 года не уступает опыту Марио 1959 года♥️♥️♥️

Both superb , by the master..,

love it! this is my favourite song of all time

Gracias Vincent di Placido,desde Trujillo,PERÚ.

Аплодирую и преклоняюсь перед Гением Марио Ланца 💯 🕯️🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Если восхищалась соаременниками, здесь.просто плачу!!! ♥️

Beautiful, just beautiful. Both performances and your video. The later one slightly edges it, but I always find that an actual Opera performance brings out that extra something that a concert performance does not. Theatrical license perhaps.

Великий на все времена.

I agree with most that if I had to choose, I would pick the latter....the "spinto" - or is it the "sob" - is so moving. Yet, on the other hand, the freshness and youthful electricity in the former is pure Mario seduction. So perhaps we can think of these as the seasons of Mario, first Primavera, the latter, Autunno

Just utterly fantastic !!!!!!!!

In this world 🌍 there have never been a Greater Voice, not Pavarotti not Anyone,no disrespect to anyone else.🎆

This is a great post. Of course I love both, but I'll have to vote for 1959. I really think Lanza grew into, and perfected, this aria as he got older. Also, in 1951 he was merely singing it in front of an orchestra; in 1969 he was _acting_ it out as Canio. That just puts an extra punch into the performance.

If I think in the text of the song, I' d choose the second because it sounds darker, more full of sadness, more full of pain. And the first one sounds more lyrical, sweeter. In any case I adore any version of Mario, always full of passion and feeling.

1959. God Level!

As far as I'm concerned the man could do no wrong...for me the make up made the performance.Genius

Interesting comparisons there is a difference and I love them both thank you Mario I grew up listening to him and I was 10 when he died my whole family went into mourning amazing memories

Every time I hear this I am in awe. The aria is a real masterpiece! Ridden with conflict and emotions that tear a man in two, yet he must uphold his good posture and play on. The emotional expression... makes it super tangible! Chills down te spine. The heartache so palpable. Both performances are exellent but I prefer the second. Lanza's voice has ripened and (to me) that gives this more luster. Besides, in costume and with the facial expressions... more forcefull!

I love both but the 1959 version is a fuller deeper sound of a lyric-spinto tenor, a voice I prefer. In the 1951 version, his voice is more lyrical in sound. I think their’s more passion and emotion in the later aria as well.

# 2 seems a little more dramatic and powerful but I like always like 2 cups of coffee at breakfast time. Such a wonderful tenor who died too soon. 😥

This guy was unmatchable...

It is not fair to compare ,because one was recorded in stereo ,which separated the orchestra from singer,and puts him more up front,the other being mono dulls the resonates of the voice . Both incredible in different time periods . Peter Christopher

Mario Lanza, una voz privilegiada para el canto lírico; por supuesto, como pocos los hay... y, gracias a la tecnología, tenemos el placer, casi a diario de escucharlo, igual que a Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carrera y otros.

It's like choosing a favorite child....love it all!!

Love them both!!!

Yes. Definitely the Clown! His whole heart was in it!

WOW!!! Both ar real tear jerkers.. Bravo!!

I like parts from both so I'm going to go with a Lanza hybrid here. 😁

Forse non comprendo le sfumature interpretative delle due esecuzioni ma sentimentalmente preferisco la prima versione che mi ha catapultato bambina nel mondo della lirica! Comunque grazie!