Leon Lishner

[2] After appearing in supporting roles in several operas with a variety of companies, his first prominent stage part was the Chief Police Agent in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul in Philadelphia in 1950.

He sang in several more productions for the NBC Opera, including John Claggart in Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd (1952),[9] Osmin in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio (1954),[10] and Napoleon Bonaparte in Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace (1957).

[13] He soon after joined the roster of artists at the New York City Opera (NYCO); making his debut with the company in October 1953 as Dottore Grenvil in Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata.

[14] With the NYCO he notably sang parts in the United States premieres of Gottfried von Einem's Der Prozeß and Marc Blitzstein's Regina (Ben Hubbard, 1953).

[21] In 1956 he sang the role of Daniel Webster in Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All with Shirlee Emmons in her Obie Award winning performance of Susan B. Anthony at the Phoenix Theater.

[22] In 1972 he portrayed the role of Rambaldo Fernandez in La Rondine for the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company with Anna Moffo as Magda de Civry.