This special chronicles the remarkable life and times of one of the twentieth century's most beloved singing stars, Mario Lanza. The program contains a selection of rare photographs, interviews and footage from movies that made him famous throughout the world. Blessed with one of the great tenor voices of all time, Mario Lanza rose to spectacular heights in a singing career that spanned little more than a decade. Groomed from the outset for a career on the opera stage, Lanza instead flourished in Hollywood where his films, most notably, "The Great Caruso," broke box office records. Split between the desire to establish himself as a serious opera singer and the temptations of Hollywood, Lanza was tormented by self-doubt and resorted to alcohol and over-eating. Mario Lanza Singing to the Gods celebrates Lanza's incomparable talents as well as the torments that led to his untimely death at age 38.
