Frank Guarrera

Frank Guarrera (December 3, 1923 – November 23, 2007) was an Italian-American lyric baritone who enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the Metropolitan Opera, singing with the company for a total of 680 performances.[1] He was also an admired interpreter of Mozart roles, establishing himself in the parts of both Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.[2] Although Guarrera did not possess as large a voice as some of his fellow Met baritones, such as Leonard Warren and Robert Merrill, he managed to carve out a highly successful career for himself at the house through his charismatic stage presence, good looks, and well-focused lyrical tone.He sang at the Met during a "golden age of baritones" whose members also included Robert Weede, Tito Gobbi, Cornell MacNeil, Sherrill Milnes and Anselmo Colzani.[3] The Times said that "Frank Guarrera was a rare all-rounder, a singer whose competence, versatility, intelligence, good stage presence and the absence of inflated ideas of his own importance made him a valued colleague and the kind of stalwart company member that opera managers dream about.The competition win also brought him to the attention of conductor Arturo Toscanini, who invited Guarrera to make his La Scala debut as Fanuel in Arrigo Boito's Nerone in 1948.[3] Guarrera made his Met debut on December 14, 1948, as Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen with Risë Stevens in the title role, Ramon Vinay as Don José, Licia Albanese as Micaela, and Wilfred Pelletier conducting.His other roles with the company included, Count di Luna (1952), Tonio (1952), Escamillo (1953, 1959, 1966), Rossini's Figaro (1953), Marcello (1954, 1958), Lord Henry Ashton to Mado Robin's Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor (1954), Ping (1954), Guglielmo (1956, 1960), Ford (1956, 1966), Sharpless in Puccini's Madama Butterfly (1956), Lescaut in Puccini's Manon Lescaut (1956), various roles in Carmina Burana (1958–1959), Rodrigo in Don Carlo (1958), Manfredo (1959), Silvio (1959), and Rigoletto (1966).[2] Guarrera is featured on complete opera recordings, including Così fan tutte, Lucia di Lammermoor, opposite Lily Pons, Faust, Ford in Falstaff under Toscanini, and Cavalleria rusticana.
Guarrera at the Metropolitan Opera
baritoneMetropolitan OperaGeorges BizetCarmenGiacomo PucciniLa BohèmeCharles GounodTurandotCosì fan tutteLe nozze di FigaroTchaikovskyEugene OneginLa fanciulla del WestIl trovatoreLeonard WarrenRobert MerrillRobert WeedeTito GobbiCornell MacNeilSherrill MilnesAnselmo ColzaniThe TimesPhiladelphiaCurtis Institute of MusicUnited States NavyI PagliacciNew York City OperaTanglewood Music FestivalIdomeneoEdward JohnsonArturo ToscaniniLa ScalaArrigo BoitoNeroneBeethovenCesare SiepiLes Pêcheurs de PerlesL'amore dei tre reClara PetrellaNicola Rossi-LemeniRisë StevensRamon VinayLicia AlbaneseWilfred PelletierTyrone GuthrieDie FledermausIl barbiere di SivigliaFalstaffRudolf BingAlfred LuntMozartDino YannopoulosGaetano DonizettiDon PasqualeThomas SchippersNathaniel MerrillL'elisir d'amoreGünther RennertJules MassenetAnna MoffoFranco ZeffirelliCavalleria rusticanaLeonard BernsteinSimon BoccanegraErnaniLucia di LammermoorLa traviataRigolettoGianni SchicchiSan Francisco OperaHerva NelliMado RobinMadama ButterflyManon LescautCarmina BuranaDon CarloPilar LorengarBarry MorellUniversity of WashingtonSeattleMary Curtis VernaBellmawrNew JerseydiabetesLily PonsMartin BernheimerOpera NewsAnne MidgetteThe New York TimesWayback Machine