Cornell MacNeil (September 24, 1922 – July 15, 2011[1]) was an American operatic baritone known for his exceptional voice and long career with the Metropolitan Opera, which spanned 642 performances in twenty-six roles.
But MacNeil's performances had singular musical richness, and moral and intellectual complexity that were his alone.
[1] He was interested in opera from a young age, but suffered from severe asthma, which also contributed to his rejection from World War II.
[1] He then took on a wartime job as a lathe operator, after which, on his mother's advice, began his vocal studies.
After a brief audition, he was cast by the composer and director Gian Carlo Menotti as the male lead in his opera, The Consul, which opened on March 1, 1950, at the Shubert Theater in Philadelphia.