Michael Rayner

Rayner worked in his family's motor car company before eventually pursuing classical singing and, in his mid-30s, he trained at the Birmingham School of Music.

[3] As a young man, he apprenticed with Rolls-Royce before joining his family's motor car company, where he eventually became sales manager.

For the company's 1975 Centennial Season at the Savoy Theatre, Rayner recreated the role of Mr. Goldbury Utopia Limited and sang Dr. Tannhäuser in the single concert performance of The Grand Duke.

[8][10] Rayner participated in the company's tours of North America and Italy, and its Silver Jubilee Royal Command Performance of H.M.S.

[3][11] Rayner's roles recorded with D'Oyly Carte included Pish-Tush (1973), Strephon (1974), Counsel (1975), Mr. Goldbury (1976), Dr. Tannhäuser (1976), Giuseppe (1977), Bouncer (1978) and Lieutenant (1979).

[1] He appeared in oratorio and other concerts for many years, in such works as Elijah, The Messiah, St. John Passion, Mozart's Requiem, and Bach and Haydn masses.

[13][14] New roles with these companies, in addition to some that he had played with D'Oyly Carte, included the Usher and Learned Judge in Trial, Doctor Daly in The Sorcerer, Dick Deadeye in Pinafore, Major-General Stanley in Pirates, Major Murgatroyd in Patience, Private Willis in Iolanthe, the Mikado and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado, Old Adam and Sir Roderic Murgatroyd in Ruddigore, Sergeant Meryll in Yeomen, Captain Corcoran, KCB in Utopia and the Herald in The Grand Duke, and as well as directing, coaching, and conducting master classes concerning the Savoy operas.

[3][16] At the Festival in 1999, soprano Jean Hindmarsh and Rayner gave the world premiere performance of "Reflect, my child", a song cut from H.M.S.