“As a tenor raised in Northeast Philadelphia, recording an album dedicated to Mario Lanza felt like coming home in the most profound way.”

This is how Stephen Costello introduces his second album on Delos, Be My Love. A homage to the great tenor, this selection of songs showcases Lanza’s sincerity in his choice of repertoire, his mastery of diction and legato, and clarion high notes that made him ideally equipped to bring a song to a stirring finish. Indeed, the humble boy from Philadelphia rose to global stardom thanks to his glorious voice and innate charisma. As such, he has been an inspiration to countless singers, even more so for Stephen, who was born in the same city. Songs like “Be My Love” and “Without a Song” served as the ultimate secret weapon for the young tenor struggling through his first lessons and auditions. Constantine Orbelian and the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra join in the celebration.