Description

LEONARD WARREN (NEW YORK, USA, APRIL 21, 1911 – NEW YORK, USA, MARCH 4, 1960)

 

 

 

 

He came from a Russian family and was actually named Leonard Warenoff; his father was a fur trader in New York. He originally intended to follow in his father’s profession, but in 1935 he joined the chorus at Radio City Music Hall in New York. He studied singing with Sidney Dietch in New York and continued his training with Giuseppe Pais and Riccardo Picozzi in Milan. He later refined his technique under the renowned baritone Giuseppe De Luca in New York.

In 1938, he won the Auditions of the Air competition organized by the Metropolitan Opera. In 1939, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in a concert and then appeared on stage for the first time at the house as Chelkalov in Boris Godunov. His official debut role followed shortly afterward as Paolo Albiani in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra on January 11, 1939. Until his death, he performed as the celebrated principal baritone of this important opera company.

He was especially admired in the Italian repertoire, including Rigoletto, Count Luna in Il Trovatore, Germont in La Traviata, Simon Boccanegra, Carlos in La forza del destino, Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Iago in Otello, Scarpia in Tosca, Don Carlo in Verdi’s Ernani, Valentin in Gounod’s Faust, the Herald in Lohengrin, Tonio in Pagliacci, and Rangoni in Boris Godunov. On February 20, 1942, he appeared as Ilo in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera The Island God at the Metropolitan Opera.

In 1958, he sang at the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new Metropolitan Opera building at Lincoln Center in New York City, in the presence of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1959, he achieved one of his greatest triumphs, performing the title role in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Verdi’s Macbeth. Altogether, he sang 26 roles in 416 performances over 22 seasons at the Metropolitan Opera.

During his career, he also appeared frequently at the San Francisco Opera, at the Chicago Opera from 1944 to 1946, in Rio de Janeiro in 1942, and in Mexico City in 1948. He performed at the Montreal Opera in 1941, and in 1948 and 1953 he appeared at La Scala in Milan as Iago in Otello and as Rigoletto. In 1958, he undertook a successful tour of Russia, performing in Moscow, Kyiv, and Riga.

He passed away on stage at the Metropolitan Opera during a performance of Verdi’s La forza del destino, in which he was singing the role of Carlo. He was regarded as one of the finest baritones of his era, admired equally for the richness of his voice and the maturity and expressive depth of his artistry.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

A Little Bit of Heaven (Ball-Brennan) Recorded 26 Sep, 1950 RCA Victor 49-3290 (EO-RB-5671-2)

Aida Che veggo’ Egli Mio padre! (Verdi) with Zinka Milanov, Fedora Barbieri, Jussi Bjorling, Boris Christsoff, Plinio Clabassi Recorded in July 1955 RCA Victor LM-6122

Aida Ciel! Mio padre! (Verdi) with Zinka Milanov Recorded 4.7.1955 RCA Victor LM-6122

America the Beautiful (Ward-Bates) Recorded 28 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3287 (EO-RB-5673-1)

Andrea Chenier Nemico della patria (Giordano) Recorded 3.3.1955 RCA Victor LM-2453

A-Rovin’ Recorded 8 July 1947 RCA Victor 10.1386 (D7-RB-1261-1)

Ballo in Maschera Ahimel s’appressa alcun (Verdi) with Zinka Milanov, Jan Peerce Recorded 9.1.1955 RCA Victor LM-1911

Ballo in Maschera Alla vita che t’arride (Verdi) Recorded 9.1.1955 RCA Victor LM-1911

Ballo in Maschera Alzatil.. En to che macchiavi (Verdi) Recorded 9.1.1955 RCA Victor LM-1911

ballo in maschera Eri tu che macchiavi Recorded 14. 12. 1945 RCA Victor 11-9292

barbiere di Siviglia Largo al factotum Recorded 26. 3. 1945 RCA Victor 11-8744

Battle Hymn of the Republic (Steffe-Howe) Recorded 28 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3287 (EO-RB-5674-1)

Because (d’Hardelot-Teschemacher) Recorded 3. 9. 1947 RCA Victor 10-1406 (D7-RB-1604-2)

Blow the Man Down Recorded 8 July 1947 RCA Victor 10-1383 (D7-RB-1262-1A)

Bohème O Mimi, tu più non torni (Puccini) with Giuseppe di Stefano Recorded 24. 3. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3844 (El-RC-3182-1)

Boots (McCall) Recorded 2 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3700 (El-RB-3736-1)

Carmen Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre Recorded 26. 3. 1945 RCA Victor 11-8744

Danny Boy (Irish Song) Recorded 3. 9. 1947 RCA Victor 10-1421 (D7-RB-1606-1)

Danny Deever (Damrosch) Recorded 5 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3703 (El-RB-3735-1)

Falstaff E sogno 0 realta (Verdi) Recorded in July 1955 RCA Victor LM-1932

Falstaff È sogno o realtà Recorded 3. 9. 1941 RCA Victor 18293

Faust Avant de quitter ces lieux Recorded 4. 9. 1941 RCA Victor 18420

Forza del Destino Invano Alvaro (Verdi) with Jan Peerce Recorded 7.4.1955 RCA Victor LM-1916

forza del destino Invano Alvaro with Jan Peerce Recorded in 1946 RCA Victor 11-9768

Forza del Destino Morir! Tremenda cosa (Verdi) with Raymond Keast Recorded 16. 2. 1950 RCA Victor 12-13356 (EO-RC-1478-2)

Gioconda O monumento Recorded 3. 9. 1941 RCA Victor 18293

Gioconda Pescator, affonda l’esca Recorded 2. 1. 1947 RCA Victor 11-9790

Gunga Din (Spross) Recorded 2 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3701 (El-RB-3737-1)

Haul-A-Way, Joe Recorded 9 July 1947 RCA Victor 10.1385 (D7-RB-1265-2)

Home on the Range (Guinn) Recorded 26 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3290 (EO-RB-5668-1)

Les Contes d’Hoffmann Scintille diamant Recorded 4. 9. 1941 RCA Victor 18420

Love’s Old Sweet Song (Molloy-Bingham) Recorded 26 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3288 (EO-RB-5670-1)

Low Lands Recorded 9 July 1947 RCA Victor 10-1385 (D7-RB-1267-1A)

Mother Machree (0Icott-Ball-Young) Recorded 26 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3289 (EO-RB-5669-1)

Mother O’ Mine (Tours) Recorded 5 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3702 (El-RB-3734-1R)

None but the lonely heart (Tschaikovsky) Recorded 3. 9. 1947 RCA Victor 10-1406 (D7-RB-1605-2)

Ol´Man River Show Boat (Kem-Hammerstein) Recorded 28 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3288 (EO-RB-5672-1)

On the Road to Mandalay (Speaks-Kipling) Recorded 28 Sep. 1950 RCA Victor 49-3289 (EO-RB-5675-1)

Otello Credo in un Dio crudel (Verdi) Recorded 4.7.1955 RCA Victor LM-1932

Otello Credo in un Dio crudel Recorded 14. 12. 1945 RCA Victor 11-9292

Otello Era la notte (Verdi) Recorded 3.3.1955 RCA Victor LM-1932

Otello Inaffia l’ugola! (Verdi) with Nathaniel Sprinzena, Thomas Motto Recorded 16. 2. 1950 RCA Victor 12-1337 (EO-RC-149-1)

Pagliacci Sei la (Leoncavallo) with Victoria de los Angeles Recorded in January 1953 RCA Victor LM-6045

Pagliacci Si può (Leoncavallo) Recorded 10. 1. 1953 RCA Victor 49-4180 (E3-RC-2119-1)

pagliacci Si può Recorded 7. 3. 1946 RCA Victor 11-9790

Recessional (DeKoven) Recorded 2 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3702 (El-RB-3731-1)

Rigoletto Cortigiani, vil razza dannata (Verdi) Recorded 6. 4. 1950 RCA Victor 12-1271 (EO-RC-170-1A)

Rigoletto Cortigiani, vil razza dannata Recorded 14. 12. 1945 RCA Victor 11-9413

Rigoletto Pari siamo (Verdi) Recorded 25. 5. 1950 RCA Victor 12-1267 (EO-RC-159-2)

Rigoletto Pari siamo Recorded 14. 12. 1945 RCA Victor 11-9413

Rigoletto Povero Rigoletto (Verdi) with Arthur Newman, Nathaniel Sprinzena, Paul Ukena, Joyce White Recorded 25. 5. 1950 RCA Victor 12-1270 (EO-RC-169-1)

Rigoletto Quel vecchio maledivami (Verdi) with Italo Tajo Recorded March/May 1950 RCA Victor 12-1266 (EO-RC-158)

Rio Grande Recorded 9 July 1947 RCA Victor 10.1383 (57-RB-1266-1B)

Rolling Down to Rio (German) Recorded 5 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3703 (EI-RB-3733.1)

Shenandoah Recorded 9July 1947 RCA Victor 10-1384 (D7-RB-1268-2)

Simon Boccanegra Dinne, perchè in quest’eremo (Verdi) with Astrid Varnay Recorded 4. 2. 1950 RCA Victor 12-13356 (EO-RC-1089-2)

Smugglers’ Song (Kemochan) Recorded 5 Oct. 1951 RCA Victor 49-3701 (E1-RB-3732-1)

The Drummer and the Cook Recorded 8 July 1947 RCA Victor 10-1384 (D7-RB-1263-1A)

The Drunken Sailor Recorded 8 July 1947 RCA Victor 10-1386 (D7-RB-1264-1)

The Lord’s Prayer (Malotte) Recorded 29. 11. 1947 RCA Victor 10-1421 (D7-RB-2546-2)

Traviata Di Provenza il mar (Verdi) Recorded 4. 2. 1950 RCA Victor 12-1337 (EO-RC-110-1)

trovatore Il balen del suo sorriso Recorded 2. 1. 1947 RCA Victor 11-9956

Trovatore Qual suono!… Per me ora fatale (Verdi) with Nicola Moscona Recorded 11. 3. 1952 RCA Victor ERA-114 (E2-RC-0179-IR)

trovatore Qual suono… Per me ora fatale Recorded 2. 1. 1947 RCA Victor 11-9956

Trovatore Tutto è deserto… Il balen (Verdi) with Nicola Moscona Recorded 11. 3. 1952 RCA Victor ERA-114 (E2-RC-0179-1R)

Trovatore Udiste… Mira, d’acerbe lagrime (Verdi) with Zinka Milanov Recorded 9. 5. 1951 RCA Victor LM-6008 (EI-RC-3421-IR)