Thirty-One Days of Italians

The purpose of this website is to educate others about the significant contributions that those of Italian heritage have made to America. Biographies range from one to several paragraphs providing an overview, and links to a collection of selected resources are provided for more in-depth research. The information is intended to be shared and distributed; however, the work in this website is a result of massive hours of researching, organizing, creating, and writing. If you use any of the information on this website, please give proper credit by citing Thirty-One Days of Italians and adding a link to this website. Thank you.

MUSIC

Enrico Caruso [HM] (1873-1921) Recognized by any as the world’s most acclaimed tenor, Caruso’s recordings launched the phonograph industry in the early 1900s and prompted other singers to record their music for sale. Henricus Caruso was born in Naples. His formal education was limited and at a young age he followed his father’s trade and became a mechanic apprentice. For extra money, he sang and began vocal training before he was 20. At the suggestion of his vocal trainer, he changed his name to the more recognized Italian Enrico. He made his professional singing debut at 22, and was soon singing in theaters throughout Italy. In 1900, he made his debut at La Scala and two years later he sang at the Metropolitan Opera House, continuing his association with the Met for 18 seasons. Caruso’s vocal range and versatility are still unmatched and it’s noted that his recordings have been researched and studied more than any other singer. His recording of “No Pagliaccio non son” was the first record to sell one million copies, and more than a century later his records continue to sell. In addition to his revered voice, Caruso was also known for his caricatures of his colleagues and others he met. (See Toscanini below.) Caruso was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987 for his significant artistic contributions in the recording industry. Homage to Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso – Operatic Tenor Enrico Caruso, the Greatest Tenor Who Ever Lived, is Born [This Day in History] Enrico Caruso: the First Big Opera Star of the 20th Century The Recordings of Enrico Caruso, 1902 to 1904 Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing  Enrico Caruso and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Enrico Caruso’s House Museum in Naples  The Caruso Museum at the Royal Palace of Naples Casa Museo Enrico Caruso [In Italian] Villa Caruso - Bellosguardo [Museum in Florance] Enrico Caruso - The Greatest Recordings of Italy's Greatest Tenor [YouTube] Enrico Caruso - Core 'ngrato [YouTube]

Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940) Acclaimed as one of the world’s most popular coloratura sopranos – signified by a light, high voice with several rapid short notes replacing one longer note, and a flexibility in extending the notes. Luisa Tetrazzini was born in Florence, Italy, and under the tutelage of her older sister she began to sing at a very early age. She made her unexpected operatic debut in Florence in 1890. The lead soprano scheduled to sing had to cancel, and Tetrazzini – who had listened to rehearsals many times and knew the lyrics – was asked to sing. She performed in Russia, Spain, South America, and Mexico, and made her American debut in San Francisco in 1905. In 1907, she performed to international acclaim in London, and signed with Oscar Hammerstein I to perform at his Manhattan Opera House. In a contract dispute with the Opera House, Tetrazzini claimed she would sing for free on the streets of San Francisco and on Christmas Eve in 1910, she sang before more than 200,000 at Lotta’s Fountain. A plaque marks the historic event. San Francisco is also where the popular Chicken Tetrazzini was first prepared in her honor.  Luisa Tetrazzini Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940) Overview Discography   The Florentine Nightingale Thrilled Northwest Audiences a Century Ago The Dangerous Arrangements of Luisa Tetrazzini [L’idea Magazine] Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing  Old School Soprano Luisa Tetrazzini Sings with Enrico Caruso Record-1932  [YouTube] Luisa Tetrazzini - The Queen of Staccato - La Regina Dello Staccato [YouTube] Luisa Tetrazzini: The Florentine Nightingale [Book Review] Chicken Tetrazzini [History and Recipe] Arturo Toscanini [HM] (1867-1957) Known for a photographic memory, strong beliefs in music interpretation, and demands for perfection, Toscanini – il Maestro – reigns supreme as one of the world’s greatest conductors. Toscanini was born in Parma (region of Emilia-Romagna) and studied cello at the conservatory there. At 13, he played the cello in an orchestra, and at 19, his last-minute substitution as conductor of Verdi’s Aida in Rio de Janeiro set the pace for his career. In 1898, he became director of La Scala and reorganized the performances to maximize the integrity of the music. From 1908 to 1915, he conducted at the Metropolitan Opera House. In 1926, he began conducting with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and led a European tour of the company in 1930. While in Italy during World War II, he was a strong opponent of fascism. His passport was confiscated and he was detained from leaving Italy, but was later allowed to leave. When he returned to the United States in 1937, with plans to make radio educational and cultural, the NBC Symphony Orchestra was created for Toscanini. Many credit him today for bringing classical music to the masses. He returned to Italy to reopen the demolished La Scala in 1946, and continued to conduct the NBC Orchestra until his retirement in 1954 at the age of 87. Toscanini has appeared on the cover of TIME magazine twice and in 1987 he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the recording industry. A United States postage stamp was issued in his honor in 1989. For the 50th anniversary of his passing – to honor his musical career and his stand against fascism – throughout 2007, Italy hosted numerous events in tribute to il Maestro. Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (Conductor)   About Toscanini  Arturo Toscanini – A Life in Music   Discography Arturo Toscanini [New York Philharmonic] Arturo Toscanini, Conductor [Carnegie Hall]  15 Fascinating Moments From the Maestro’s Life   Toscanini’s Greatest Recorded Performances The Letters of Arturo Toscanini [Excerpt from his book] Arturo Toscanini, Music Conductor and Orchestra Ally  [Excerpt from The Real Toscanini: Musicians Reveal the Maestro] Navigating Through the Toscanini Maze [NPR Article] Toscanini’s Panoramic Art [Scroll Down] Arturo Toscanini [Los Angeles Times: Hollywood Star Walk]

Dean Martin (1917-1995) One of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century, Dean Martin performed on stage, radio, television, and film. His career spanned almost 60 years, starting with singing in nightclubs in 1934 and leading to a ten-year partnership with Jerry Lewis, numerous top-selling records, more than 50 movies, sold-out Las Vegas shows, the host of his own television show for eight years, and eleven years as the host of a celebrity roast series. Dino Crocetti, the son of Italian immigrants, was born in Steubenville, Ohio. He left school when he was in the tenth grade and worked in numerous jobs – including a boxer under the name “Kid Crochet,” and dealing cards at local gambling casinos – before he started singing with neighborhood bands, and changing his name to Dino Martini. While a singer with the Cleveland-based Sammy Watkins Orchestra, he changed his name to Dean Martin. In 1943, Martin moved to New York City and was booked into the Riobamba, a popular nightclub that featured Frank Sinatra. A year later, Martin had a 15-minute radio show where he would sing several songs, and two years later he released his first single, “Which Way Did My Heart Go.” That same year, he met Jerry Lewis and they started performing together, with Lewis playing the comic to the debonair Martin. They created a partnership, working together for ten years on stage and radio, and in television and film. Martin continued to record songs, including the top selling “That’s Amore” in 1953. After the partnership dissolved, Martin starred in his first dramatic movie role in The Young Lions, receiving much praise for his performance and leading to roles in many other movies including Some Came Running, Rio Bravo, Ocean’s 11, Airport, The Cannonball Run (I and II), and the Matt Helm series. In the late 1950s, Martin teamed with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford to form the Rat Pack, performing in many stage appearances in Las Vegas and numerous movies in the 60s. In 1964, Martin’s “Everybody Loves Somebody” replaced The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” as the number one song in America. The following year, Martin starred in The Dean Martin Show, a comedy-variety show ending in 1974 and followed by The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast specials that aired until 1984. For 20 years, Steubenville hosted the Dean Martin Festival, with several days of “swing dancing, musical performances by Dean Martin and Rat Pack tribute bands, historical tours and a street fair.” Tributes to Martin include a street marker, a street mural, and part of the state highway though the town renamed Dean Martin Boulevard. In 2005, nine miles of a Las Vegas road was renamed Dean Martin Drive. Throughout his career, Martin was nominated for numerous Emmy and Golden Globe awards and won the Golden Globe Award in 1967 for The Dean Martin Show. Martin has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – for television, motion pictures, and recordings. In 2009, Martin received a posthumous Lifetime Grammy Achievement Award for his contributions to the music industry. In November 2024, Dean Martin’s Greatest Hits will be available in vinyl. Of the thirteen tracks, six are new mixes using Dolby Atmos, described as three-dimensional audio for a more immersive listening experience. Dean Martin Official Website NEW Dean Martin Biography Dean Martin Fan Center NEW Everybody Loves Somebody [YouTube] NEW That’s Amore [YouTube] NEW Dean Martin’s ‘Greatest Hits’ Dean Martin: Famous Whiskey Drinkers Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin Dean Martin: Steubenville Tribute Dean Martin Festival History

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) An international icon in the entertainment industry and an era in time, Frank Sinatra was the ultimate performer on stage, radio, television, and in films. The only child of Italian immigrants who had settled in Hoboken, New Jersey, Francis Albert Sinatra worked as a laborer during his teens, but had an inherent interest in music. In 1935, after years of singing in local clubs and shows, Sinatra joined a neighborhood band – renamed the Hoboken Four. Shortly after, the group auditioned for an amateur talent show, and won the first prize of a six-month road tour. Sinatra did not complete the tour, returning to Hoboken and taking a job at Rustic Cabin, a restaurant in Englewood Cliffs with a live-wire connection to a radio station in New York City. Sinatra waited on tables and sang, and one night through the radio show, he got the attention of Harry James (who had recently left the Benny Goodman orchestra to form his own band). In 1939, Sinatra joined with the Harry James Orchestra, releasing his first record; and recording nine other songs with the band. In less then a year, Sinatra and James parted on good terms, when Sinatra signed with Tommy Dorsey. With Dorsey, Sinatra fine tuned his vocal range with his increased appearances, and although he was named Best Male Vocalist of 1941 by Billboard magazine, Sinatra wanted the freedom of a solo career. His parting with Dorsey was not amicable – their contract gave Dorsey a large percentage of Sinatra’s earnings – and a legal battle ensued with Sinatra buying out of the contract.   In performing with the “big bands,” Sinatra studied the music and developed his singing style of phrasing, timing, breath control, and lyrical interpretation; techniques he perfected and have since influenced singers and musicians in all genres. Labeled “The Voice” early in his career, Sinatra appealed to many teenage girls and young women, but he attributed his popularity to “the war years and there was a great loneliness.” (Sinatra had a ruptured eardrum from birth and did not qualify for military service.) His first solo appearance in December 1942 at the Paramount Theater in New York City resulted in “Sinatramania,”  hoards of screaming and swooning fans, and the term “bobby soxers” was used to describe them. In 1943, he debuted at the nightclub Riobamba, where he was an instant hit in attracting an older audience. Six months after his Paramount Theater performance, Sinatra signed with Columbia Records and although he had appeared in several movies – starting in 1941 with Las Vegas Nights, where he sang “I’ll Never Smile Again” with the Tommy Dorsey Band – his contract with MGM turned the public’s attention to his acting. In 1945, he starred with Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh. That same year, Sinatra starred in The House I Live In, a short film about religious intolerance that won an Honorary Academy Award. His popularity continued to rise with six more films released in four years, reissued recordings of his earlier songs with Harry James, and live performances and radio shows; but negative publicity with ties to organized crime started a downfall, and for several years Sinatra’s career was in decline. His role in From Here to Eternity revived his career. He won an Academy Award in 1953 for Best Supporting Actor, leading to many other movie roles including his highly acclaimed performances in The Man with the Golden Arm (nominated for Academy Award for Best Actor) and Not As a Stranger – both released in 1955 and both earning Sinatra nominations for the BAFTA Award. In Pal Joey [1957], Sinatra received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and in 1963 he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Come Blow Your Horn. Although he was not nominated for his starring role in The Manchurian Candidate  [1962], the movie has been preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The House I Live In was included in the Registry in 2007. His success in film carried over to his music: in 1953, he signed with Capitol Records, and began an almost 25-year collaboration with composer Nelson Riddle. He released 16 albums and over 60 singles before starting the Reprise Record label. During this time, Sinatra’s interest and popularity in Las Vegas opened more business opportunities and guided the formation of the Rat Pack with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. Sinatra entertained with his music and acting through the early 1990s. Along with his numerous awards and gold records, in 1965, he received an Emmy Award for his television special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music. Throughout his career, Sinatra was a philanthropist of many causes, particularly children in need; but he avoided publicity about this part of his life. He traveled the world and performed concerts, many times paying for the expenses; and was well known for his generosity to friends and others who were facing difficulties. He was a supporter of the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, and was responsible for the the reunion of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in 1976. Sinatra’s friendship with Sammy Davis, Jr and other African American performers caused him to be the leading force behind desegregation in Las Vegas. Frank Sinatra received more than 50 awards and honors including several Lifetime Achievement awards, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Medal of Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – for television, motion pictures, and recordings. On the tenth anniversary of his death, a stamp – with a portrait of Sinatra and his signature – was issued by the United States Postal Service. Frank Sinatra Official Website The Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra After 100 Years: The Gold Standard Frank Sinatra Has A Cold Frank Sinatra – The British Connections A very long retirement: Sinatra’s bittersweet final years remembered  Frank Sinatra’s Palm Spring’s Estate The Houses Frank Sinatra Called Home Frank Sinatra Causes Riot in NYC Paramount Theater [YouTube]   

Henry Mancini (1924-1994) With a Golden Globe, four Academy Awards, 20 Grammy Awards, and a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, few musicians have matched Henry Mancini’s musical achievements. For more than 40 years, he arranged, composed, conducted, and performed music for movies including Arabesque, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, The Pink Panther, Silver Streak, Victor/Victoria, and Wait Until Dark, among many others. For television, one of his most popular compositions, and still well-known today, is the theme song for the 1958 to 1961 television series Peter Gunn. Enrico Nicola Mancini was born in Cleveland, where his immigrant parents – from Abruzzo and Molise – had settled, and later moved to Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. At a young age, he learned to play the piccolo, flute, and piano, following the musical inclinations of his father; and he also showed an early interest in composing. He enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music, but a year later he was drafted to serve in World War II. While in service, he met musicians with professional connections to the Glenn Miller Band, and after the war, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra (the ghost band formed after Miller’s disappearance in 1944). He joined the music department of Universal Pictures in 1952, staying six years and working on the musical scores of more than 100 movies, including The Glenn Miller Story (released in 1954). Working independently, he provided director Blake Edwards with some of the most iconic movie scores of his career, including Moon River (from Breakfast at Tiffany’s). From the 1960s through the 1980s, Mancini was a household name, with his songs perform by all the top recording stars, and his appearances with symphony performances – of almost one a week – and concert tours throughout the world. He wrote two books and received four honorary doctorate degrees. During his life, Mancini developed several scholarship and fellowship programs to support young musicians. Three years after his death, the Henry Mancini Institute was established in Los Angeles. It is now part of the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. Henry Mancini Official Website Henry Mancini Biography and Works  Henry Mancini The Best of Henry Mancini - Henry Mancini Greatest Hits Full Album (YouTube) Henry Mancini Institute Henry Mancini Postage Stamp

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) At seven years old, Menotti was composing songs, and at eleven he wrote his first opera. He was 13 – and had completed his second opera – when he began formal training at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan. Born in a small town close to the border of Switzerland between Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore, Menotti immigrated to America in 1927, and attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.  After graduating, Menotti wrote Amelia al ballo (Amelia Goes to the Ball), performed by the Metropolitan Opera House, that led to a commission from NBC to write the first opera for radio. A string of operas followed, and in 1950 his opera The Consul won a Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critics Circle Award. The following year, Menotti wrote Amahl and the Night Visitors, the first opera specifically written for television. In 1958, he founded Festival dei due mondi, Festival of Two Worlds – a collaboration of music in Europe and America – an annual event in Spoleto Italy; and in 1977, Spoleto Festival USA in South Carolina was established. As composer and librettist, Menotti received two Pulitzer Prizes in music, two Drama Critics Circle Awards, and a Music Critics Circle Award. He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts in 1984, and the 1991 Musician of the Year Award by Musical America.  Gian Carlo Menotti [Classical Net] Gian Carlo Menotti Biography and Compositions Discography Gian Carlo Menotti [The Kennedy Center] Performances of Menotti's Music Italian Composer Renowned for Melodious, Theatrically Effective Operas Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi Ezio Pinza (1892-1957) Considered by many to be the world’s greatest bass baritone of the twentieth century, Pinza sang for several years in Italy before his debut at La Scala in 1922. Four years later, he performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Born Fortunia Pinza in Rome, in his younger years Pinza showed an interest in bicycle racing, and had planned for a job in engineering. Encouraged by his father, Pinza had some musical training and sang in his first opera in 1914. Shortly after, he was called into military service during World War I. He resumed his singing career after the war ended in 1918, and was invited to sing at La Scala in 1922. At La Scala, he worked with Arturo Toscanini and Pinza began attracting wider audiences.     In America, Pinza was deeply admired and performed at the Met for 22 seasons, with a repertoire of over 80 roles in more than 750 performances. He is most identified with the roles of Don Giovanni, Ramfis, Figaro, and Boris Godunov. It’s noted that when the Metropolitan Opera House opened in Lincoln Center in 1966, a marble fountain was dedicated to Ezio Pinza. In 1948, Pinza retired from the Met and the following year starred in the Broadway production of South Pacific, leading to a second career in movies, television, and radio. Ezio Pinza [Masterworks Broadway] Ezio Pinza [All Music] NEW Ezio Pinza Biography and Photos Tragedy of Ezio Pinza, the Opera Star Who Was Interned on Ellis Island in 1942 Some Enchanted Evening [1949 Recording, YouTube] NEW Ezio Pinza as Don Giovanni [Photo] NEW Ezio Pinza: Madamina (Don Giovanni) 1946 [YouTube]   “Old” Metropolitan Opera House [NY Preservation Archive Project]

Mario Lanza (1921-1959) Often cited as an inspiration for singers today, Mario Lanza was one of the top recording artists of the early 1950s.  Praised for his voice and labeled both “the new Caruso” and “the most famous tenor in the world,” Lanza was also a popular film star. Born in Philadelphia to immigrant parents from Abruzzo Lanza had an early interest in music, listening to and singing along with the recordings of Enrico Caruso. In his late teens, he began singing professionally, and at 21, he sang in his first opera; but World War II caused an interruption in his career. Joining Special Services, he performed in variety shows for the troops. After the war, he sang with the NBC Symphony Orchestra and performed live in a series of appearances on the radio show, Great Moments in Music. He continued with his vocal studies and toured North America for almost one year. His performance at the Hollywood Bowl in 1947 led to a seven-year movie contract with MGM, and he continued singing – performing in several operas and recording albums – while he made films. His first film was an instant success, followed by another and in 1951, he played the lead role of his idol in The Great Caruso,  the highest-grossing film that year. The following year, he parted with MGM, but because of contract obligations his voice was used for the songs in The Student Prince. His recordings sold millions and he received 12 Gold Record Awards. In 1957, Lanza and his family moved to Italy, where he played the lead in the film Seven Hills in Rome, released the following year.  During filming, he also toured Great Britain and Eastern Europe on a concert tour. Throughout his film career, Lanza had health issues that affected his performances and relationships. In 1959, Lanza died of (what appears to be) heart complications. In 1961, the mayor of Philadelphia proclaimed October 6th, the day Lanza died, as Mario Lanza Day; a park is also named in his honor. The Mario Lanza Institute Scholarship Program was established in 1962 to fulfill one of Lanza’s dreams, and over 200 scholarships have been awarded. Each year, the awards ceremony concludes at the Mario Lanza Ball. In 2021, in celebration of Lanza’s 100th birthday, the Institute and Museum opened in a newly renovated location in Philadelphia on a street officially designated Mario Lanza Way. Mario Lanza, Tenor Mario Lanza News and Resources Official Mario Lanza Website for Italy [In English] Mario Lanza [Opera Vivra] Artist Profile: Mario Lanza, Opera’s Hollywood Icon The Lanza Legend Mario Lanza Discography Mario Lanza Institute and Museum Keeping Mario Lanza’s Memory Alive and Well

2022-2023 List of Names

2023-2024 List of Names