Born on 7 June 1932 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania,[1] A Fulbright Scholarship for three years enabled him to pursue studies in opera at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy.
[2] In 1957 Velis joined the roster of artists at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, making his debut with the company as the Music Master and the Lamplighter in Puccini's Manon Lescaut with Renata Tebaldi in the title role.
[4] In 1958 Velis made his debut with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company (PGOC) at the Academy of Music as Gastone di Letorières in Verdi's La traviata with Leyla Gencer as Violetta and Giuseppe Bamboschek conducting.
[7] On October 23, 1961, Velis made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Joe in Puccini's La fanciulla del West with Leontyne Price as Minnie, Richard Tucker as Dick Johnson, and Fausto Cleva conducting.
[10][11] He also appeared in the U.S. premieres of several operas by Benjamin Britten at the Caramoor Summer Music Festival, including the Madwoman in Curlew River (1966),[12] Nebuchadnezzar in The Burning Fiery Furnace (1967),[13] and Abbott-Tempter in The Prodigal Son (1969).