Opera Hanks Lipsyncs in Philadelphia?

February 23, 2009 5:23 PM

In Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia, what is the aria that Tom Hanks is lip syncing in front of Denzel? He is also narrating what the aria is about. From the soundtrack information. It must be one of the following...

"Laudate Dominum"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Barbara Hendricks
With Neville Marriner (as Sir Neville Marriner) Conducting The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra & Chorus
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"Agnus Dei"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Barbara Hendricks
With Neville Marriner (as Sir Neville Marriner) Conducting The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra & Chorus
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"Non temer amato bene"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Lucia Popp
Conducted by Kurt Eichhorn
Münchner Rundfunk Orchester
Courtesy of RCA Victor Red Seal, A division of BMG Classics

"Dulcissimum Convivium"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Barbara Hendricks
With Neville Marriner (as Sir Neville Marriner) Conducting The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra & Chorus
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"La mamma morta"
(from the opera "Andrea Chénier")
Composed by Umberto Giordano
Performed by Maria Callas
With Tullio Serafin Conducting The Philharmonic Orchestra
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"O nume tutelar"
(from the opera "La Vestale")
Composed by Gasparo Spontini
Performed by Maria Callas
With Tullio Serafin Conducting Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"Ebben? ne andrò lontana"
(from the opera "La Wally")
Composed by Alfredo Catalani
Performed by Maria Callas
With Tullio Serafin Conducting The Philharmonic Orchestra
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

"Ecco: respiro appena"
(from the opera "Adriana Lecouvreur")
Composed by Francesco Cilea
Performed by Maria Callas
With Tullio Serafin Conducting The Philharmonic Orchestra
Courtesy of EMI Classics
under license from CEMA Special Markets

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107818/soundtrack

posted by shortbooks to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Check out La Mamma Morta (The Dead Mother), an aria of the 1896 opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano. In the movie, I believe they had a recording by Maria Callas.
posted by mr_felix_t_cat at 5:29 PM on February 23, 2009

It was probably the Catalani. That's a pretty famous soprano aria; she is singing about leaving and going far away from her home, never to return. Is that what his narration is about? (sorry I have not seen the whole movie).

All the Mozart is church music, so it likely wasn't any of those.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:44 PM on February 23, 2009

Best answer: It's been a while since I've seen the movie and don't remember a lip-synching moment, but if you mean the scene where Tom Hanks (Andrew) explains/translates the aria while roaming around near the lit fireplace, then I second mr_felix -- it's indeed Giordano's "La mamma morta" sung by Maria Callas.

The movie's quotes page on IMDb includes the monologue about the aria (look near the end). Here's a snippet:

Andrew Beckett: This is my favorite aria. This is Maria Callas. This is "Andrea Chenier", Umberto Giordano. This is Madeleine. She's saying how during the French Revolution, a mob set fire to her house, and her mother died... saving her. [...]

posted by macguffin at 7:02 PM on February 23, 2009

Yes, it's Giordano's La Mamma Morta, from his opera Andrea Chénier.
posted by elpiconeroalcognac at 7:35 PM on February 23, 2009