For Bill Ronayne, it’s simple: Mario Lanza was one of the most influential and talented opera singers and performers. In fact, almost a half-century after his death, he still is.
"His fame has not waned since he died," the vice president/secretary/publicity director of the Mario Lanza Institute, 712 Montrose St., said. "He might be bigger now than when he was alive."
Ronayne’s life and passion revolve around the local talent — born in 1921 as Alfred Arnold Cocozza, he grew up at 636 Christian St. — whose quick rise to fame abruptly ended when he died at age 38 from a pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Oct. 10, 200 audience members are anticipated for the taping of "The Meteor: The Rise & Fall of Mario Lanza," the last in a series produced by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) and WHYY.
PHC Assistant Director Laurie Zierer said while the show was not inspired by the Sept. 6 death of opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, there are ties between the two.
"I think the great comparison is that they both had natural talent," the resident from 13th and Tasker streets said, adding they gave the genre mass appeal because of their extraordinary abilities.
While there is consensus Lanza’s voice contained an almost unattainable purity, his persistent popularity remains somewhat an anomaly.
"His recordings still sell," Pam Shropshire, communications and program officer for PHC, said. "People still buy his movies — there’s something charismatic about him that he’s still a celebrity after all this time."
Added Zierer, "He was absolutely a film star and looked like one. He has a voice that has a range which sends chills up your spine when you hear that high C. It inspires you in a way that brings home who you are and your culture or your religion."
"The Meteor" hopes to explore this lingering question of durable popularity with a taping hosted by WHYY journalist Tracey Matisak in front of a live audience that will include a question-and-answer forum run by Moylan Mills, a humanities professor at Penn State Abington, and highlighted by a performance from tenor Richard Troxell. The latter will answer questions related to Lanza’s voice and singing and even croon some of Lanza’s most-remembered songs.
Mills, who Zierer dubbed an expert on Philadelphia celebrities like Grace Kelly and W.C. Fields, has absorbed much information on Lanza through his films, biographies and research.
One noteworthy fact, Mills said, is Lanza was born the same day opera legend Enrico Caruso — who Lanza portrayed in the 1951 film "The Great Caruso" — died.
"Lanza always thought that somehow the talent had been transferred to him," Mills said.
According to Mills, Lanza’s long-lived fame can be attributed to one thing: "He is a quintessential Philadelphia native who came from a very ordinary family who lived in South Philly. This fascinated me. The juxtaposition that he never forgot his roots; he always thought of himself as a South Philly kid."
Lanza’s story is similar to the one he portrays in his first film, 1949’s "That Midnight Kiss," where a young South Philadelphian with an extraordinary voice is discovered.
Growing up, Lanza’s father and grandfather worked in the Italian Market. His mother was a singer and strived to make sure her son had the best training possible when he told her he wanted to sing.
In 1942, he was discovered by conductor Serge Koussevitzky and soon changed his name to Mario Lanza.
It was only a matter of time before the studios came calling for the handsome 5-foot-7 singer and Lanza acted in several films, including "Toast of New Orleans" and "For the First Time."
Shropshire and Zierer agree stardom never affected Lanza and his link to home, citing his multiple visits and the long line down Broad Street during his memorial service in 1959.
"He had a sense of family, being together, friendships with people and when he became a celebrity, he was very helpful toward others — he carried that from his upbringing to his adult life," Ronayne added.
For fans — both past and present — Lanza’s voice may be the key to his long reign.
"He sang in a way that touched people," Ronayne said. "The color in his voice, in the tone and shading, it was almost as if everything was written specifically for him."
But there also was his approachable demeanor and humbleness.
"His persona was this ordinary neighborhood guy," Shropshire said. "Even in later movies you can still feel it. He was really accessible, extra-talented — people from Philadelphia are really proud this is where his roots are."
Whatever the reason, Lanza had — and still has — mass appeal, which is one reason the subject is perfect for a larger audience via WHYY’s Y Arts digital TV channel. Wednesday’s taping is slated to air sometime next year.
"PHC and WHYY were looking for talks that would appeal in particular to people in the Delaware Valley," Zierer said, as well as "programs that would highlight great Philadelphia history.
"In looking at past talks, Mario just rose to the top, and we knew the topic was of great interest in South Philly."
Shropshire said by joining with Y Arts the series could be shared with a broader audience, especially important for the show on Lanza, which has gotten the highest amount of pre-registration sign-ups — a full house at press time.
Fans of the great singer can visit the Mario Lanza Museum, located in the same building as the Montrose Street institute. People from as far away as Japan and France have made the trek to see the room packed with memorabilia, from clothing to pictures to several busts of the performer.
Tuesday, visitors from Sweden stopped by, as did Brits Philip Buckley, 53, of South Hampton, and Ronald Cutting, 65, of Reading Berkshire. The two found the museum on a travel Web site and, being fans from a young age, made sure it was part of their trip down the East Coast.
"I used to listen when I was small to Mario Lanza because my father was a fan," Buckley said. "And I know that if [my father] was in Philadelphia this is where he would have come today. [Lanza] was larger than life."
The tenor’s influence can even be found in the voices and songs of Celine Dion and Josh Grobin, Zierer said, but the comparisons don’t stop there.
"He had a fan base like Elvis. He had gold records," she said, adding she is a "budding fan."
She described the museum as a "relatively unknown treasure" that will get its fair share of the spotlight at the 6 to 8 p.m. taping at WHYY studios, 150 N. Sixth St.
As a relatively new convert, Zierer’s reaction may be explanation enough as to why the songster’s legacy grows with each passing year.
"I was absolutely taken by the range and beauty of his voice," she said.
To reserve a free seat for the studio audience, visit www.whyy.org or call 215-351-0511.
