NOW AVAILABLE! Mario Lanza The Definitive Student Prince
This just in! Mario Lanza | Hometowns to Hollywood
Upcoming
2026 MARIO LANZA TRIBUTE WEEKEND
(October 24th & 25th in Philadelphia.)
MARIO LANZA MUSEUM LUNCHEON
Saturday October 24th at 1pm at the Lanza Museum (1214 Reed St)
Featuring a complete showing of "The Great Caruso" starring Mario Lanza, Ann Blyth and Dorothy Kirsten.
Event starts promptly at 1pm and includes lunch and other goodies.
Admission is $35/person. Street parking. Seating is limited.
MARIO LANZA SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS FINALS CONCERT
Sunday, October 25th at 2pm at the Settlement Music School (416 Queen Street).
Admission $25/person. Onsite and street parking available.
MARIO LANZA TRIBUTE DINNER
Sunday October 25th at 5pm at The Victor Cafe (1303 Dickinson Street).
3-course dinner with entertainment provided by the singing waitstaff.
Admission $85/person with a cash bar per table.
Reservations should be made only through the Mario Lanza Institute and not the restaurant.
Valet and street parking.
Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. For more information and for credit card payments including for donations call 347-452-7192.
Checks should be made out to Mario Lanza Institute and mailed to
Mario Lanza Institute 1214 Reed Street Philadelphia, PA 19147.
Previous Events
September 2026:
Mario Lanza Luncheon
August 2026:
The Artistry of Joseph Schmidt
July 2026:
MARIO LANZA LUNCHEON
June 2026:
THE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARIO LANZA SHOW LECTURE/PRESENTATION
May 2026 Museum Luncheon
The Artistry of Richard Tucker Lecture/Presentation—April 2026
Mario Lanza Museum Luncheon - March 2026
MLI president Bill Ronayne given Award of Excellence for Community Service by South Philadelphia HS Alumni Association at Waterfall Room luncheon on October 18, 2025.
Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy Presentation - February 2026
Christmas 2025
Al Jolson Lecture Presentation November 2025
Mario Lanza Tribute Weekend
October 2025
Museum Luncheon
September 2025
The Artistry of Allan Jones Lecture/Presentation
August 2025
Mario Lanza Museum Luncheon
July 2025
Trailblazers in Music ~ The Artistry of Ella Fitzgerald & Nat King Cole Lecture/Presentation
June 2025
Mario Lanza Museum Luncheon
May 2025
Bing Crosby ~ Singer, Actor and Entrepreneur Lecture/Presentation
April 2025
Mario Lanza Museum Luncheon
March 2025
Images from event including Dan Case holding 2 costume vests from Mario Lanza's films from his collection. Click images to see bigger!
A History of St. Valentine and St. Valentine’s Day Lecture/Presentation
Febuary 2025
Mario Lanza Birthday Party
January 2025
Museum visit by the Alighieri-Garibaldi Sons of Italy Lodge # 494
January 2025
Photo courtesy John C. Kendall
CHRISTMAS PARTY
December 2024
GIACOMO PUCCINI ~ A 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION
November 2024
Mario Lanza Tribute Weekend
Ss. Neumann-Goretti HS visits Mario Lanza Museum - October 11, 2024
Ss. Neumann Goretti HS students with board chair Joseph F. Marino (with the white jacket), the chair of their arts committee Donna G. Catalano (on the extreme left), soprano Ashley N. Catalano-Leckerman (next to Mr. Marino), music teacher Nicholas Handhahl (seated) and accompanist Cormac MacBrádaigh Brady (standing behind Mr. Handhahl). As part of an arts outreach initiative project at Ss. Neumann Goretti High School in Philadelphia to expose students to a variety of artforms and musical genres, students from the school came to learn about Mario Lanza and other famous musical performers from Philadelphia. They were also treated to live performances of "What Good Would the Moon Be" and O mio babbino caro" by soprano Ashley N. Catalano-Leckerman and accompanist Cormac MacBrádaigh Brady.
Lena Horne Lecture Presentation: Sept. 2024
Museum Luncheon Event: August 2024
Museum Luncheon Event: June 2024
Victor Cafe Event: May 2024
MUSEUM RENTAL
From the February 10, 2024, private rental at the Lanza Museum by members of several Sons of Italy lodges that are going on a trip to Italy in a few months. A wonderful group of people that went over their plans and itinerary for the trip and also enjoyed a nice lunch as well. The Mario Lanza Museum is available to individuals and groups for organizational meetings and parties at reasonable rates. Please call 347-452-7192 or email info@mariolanzainstitute.org with any and all inquiries.
IN THE NEWS
Italian Impact Weely Podcast
Interview with our own Bill Ronayne starts at about the 30 minute mark.
IN THE NEWS
The Mario Lanza Institute in the Italian-American Herald
Bill Ronayne’s books, lectures and museum dedicated to the Lanza legacy
MARIO LANZA MUSEUM IS NOW OPEN!
The Mario Lanza Museum will be open on most Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm. Admission is $10 per person and all attendees must wear a mask and observe social distancing regulations at all times. Tours are given on the hour. Please call 347-452-7192 or email info@mariolanzainstitute.org for more information. Please note that the museum will generally only be open on Saturdays for now. Sorry for any inconvenience. Special arrangements can be made for additional days but reservations need to be made at least 2 weeks in advance. The museum is located at 1214 Reed Street in Philadelphia.
Follow Us on Facebook!
On Saturday June 19th, the Save Our Sites organization held their 15th annual event at the Mario Lanza Museum in Philadelphia. They were our second outside organization to book the museum for a special event. Following a lecture which included clips of Lanza in his films and on TV and tour of the museum, Mario Lanza Institute President Bill Ronayne accepted the 2021 Save Our Sites Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation for the new Mario Lanza Museum. Pictured are Bill Ronayne and David Traub co-founder of the Save Our sites organization and the award. A reception featuring wine, cheese and fruit concluded the afternoon. The Mario Lanza Institute would like to thank the Save Our Sites organization for this prestigious honor.
On May15, 2021, we had our first outside group private party. Members of the Sons of Italy Mario Lanza Lodge #2308 booked the Mario Lanza Museum for the afternoon which included a delicious lunch of hoagies, antipasto, pastries and cookies. After lunch, the group received a lecture on Mario Lanza from MLI president Bill Ronayne as well as a tour and enjoyed Mario Lanza's recordings on the sound system and film and TV appearances on the large screen TV. It was a very fine afternoon with a great and fun group of people.
The Mario Lanza Museum is the perfect place to hold your next organizational or club meeting or to host an anniversary, birthday or cocktail party. The spacious room, with amenities including large screen TV, state of the art audio system, couches, café tables and chairs, is decorated with assorted memorabilia from the life and career of the celebrated tenor from South Philadelphia. Its extraordinary ambience and atmosphere will make your special event one that will long be remembered by your attendees. For more information and to book your event, please contact us at 347-452-7192 or info@mariolanzainstitute.org.
Virtual Tour
Take a short virtual tour of the museum. It's great preparation for an actual visit.
Mario Lanza Way!
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mario Lanza, the City Council of Philadelphia passed a resolution also naming the 1200 block of Reed Street, which is where the Mario Lanza Museum is now located, Mario Lanza Way. Viva Mario!
To make an online donation, using a credit card or PayPal, please click the button below:
An interview with MLI President Bill Ronayne about the Capital Campaign Fund.
Note: It takes about a minute before the interview starts. Listen all the way to the end to hear Mario Lanza sing two songs.
Another Interview with Bill Ronayne, on Radio Voice Italia
30 minutes with Bill Ronayne of the Mario Lanza Institute
This program features the Mario Lanza Institute and Museum.
see below
Radio Interview about Mario Lanza Institute
ABOUT US
The Mario Lanza Institute, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, honors the memory of the late, great singer by sponsoring scholarships to promising young singers to further their training and careers. More than 200 scholarships have been awarded and many of the recipients have gone on to perform at major opera houses. The scholarships are awarded to winners of an annual competition. Vocal auditions are held in October. In November, a Mario Lanza Institute announces the winners at the annual Ball.
The Institute also houses a museum featuring photos and artifacts related to Mario Lanza. Holdings include clothing worn by Mario, original movie posters, boxing gloves he used in his youth, and some of his gold records If you would like to make a donation, please make your check payable to Mario Lanza Institute and mail to the following address: Mario Lanza Institute PO Box 54624 Philadelphia, PA 19148
Correspondence
Please note that all correspondence including inquiries, mail orders, donations and Associate Member renewals etc. should be sent to the following address only:
Mario Lanza Institute
PO Box 54624
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Scholarship Winners: L-R: Daniel Rich (First Place), Mackenzie Gotcher (Second Place), Claire De Monteil (Third Place) and accompanist Luke Housner.
