Robert Merrill had one of the great baritone voices of the 20th century. It's size, depth and humanity were coupled with a superb technique that he maintained throughout his career. He made his Met debut in 1945 when he was 28 and last appeared there in the 1975-76 season. Before during, and after, he appeared at other houses, mostly American, and in numerous concerts as well.
His discography is long and contains a variety of musical styles, as he moved easily between the high culture of opera and the pop culture of Broadway and popular songs, equally at home singing duets with Victoria de los Angeles and Jane Powell. Merrill was proud of his early pre-Met career as a performer in the Catskill's, calling it a great learning experience. He appeared on numerous television variety shows, performed the national anthem at Yankee Stadium, and sang the Schaefer beer song on a commercial in the 1960's, all while maintaining his reputation as one of the great opera baritones.
This Sunday night at 8PM on the Lyric Stage we'll have examples of Merrill's art, ranging from Rigoletto to Fiddler on the Roof , including his iconic recording of the duet from The Pearl Fishers with Jussi Bjoerling.