Clarence Whitehill

Clarence Eugene Whitehill (November 5, 1871 - December 19, 1932) was a leading American bass-baritone who sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1915 to 1932.

Whitehill went on to appear with considerable success at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in the first Ring Cycle sung in the English.

He was especially acclaimed in such taxing Wagnerian parts as Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, but he also appeared in the Met premiere of the French operas Louise (in 1921) and Pelléas et Mélisande (in 1925), and in the North American premiere of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's one-act opera Violanta (on 5 November 1927).

[3] Whitehill was notable for the tonal beauty of his large voice, the nobility of his singing style and the dignity of his stage demeanour.

Fortunately, Whitehill made a number of gramophone records prior to World War I which display something of his greatness as a Wagnerian singer.