Cornell MacNeil

Cornell MacNeil (September 24, 1922 – July 15, 2011) was an American operatic baritone born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to a dentist and a singer. He accumulated 642 performances in twenty-six roles at the Metropolitan Opera over the course of his career, establishing himself as one of the leading baritones of his era.

MacNeil developed an interest in opera from an early age, though severe asthma complicated his youth and ultimately led to his rejection from military service during World War II. He worked as a lathe operator during the war years and, on his mother's advice, subsequently began formal vocal training. His teachers included Friedrich Schorr and Dick Marzollo. Before the war's end, he sang and made announcements for the Radio City Music Hall Glee Club, and it was before that audience that he announced both the German and Japanese surrenders.

His Broadway career ran from 1947 to 1950 and included appearances in Where's Charley?, the musical Sweethearts, and The Consul. The last of these marked a significant turning point: composer and director Gian Carlo Menotti cast MacNeil as the male lead following a brief audition, and the production opened on March 1, 1950, at the Shubert Theater in Philadelphia. A recording of The Consul was released that same year on Decca Records.

MacNeil made his New York City Opera debut in 1953 as Germont in La traviata. His Metropolitan Opera debut followed on March 21, 1959, in the title role of Rigoletto, a part he would go on to sing 104 times at that house, including the Met's first televised broadcast of the opera in 1977 in John Dexter's production. Also in 1959, he debuted at La Scala in Ernani alongside Franco Corelli, returning to that house in 1960 for Aida.

Among his most prominent roles at the Met were Rigoletto and Iago in Otello. He also became closely associated with Baron Scarpia in Tosca, singing that role 92 times at the Met between November 2, 1959, and December 5, 1987, the date of his final performance with the company. In 1969, MacNeil became president of the American Guild of Musical Artists.

His discography spans several decades and major labels. Notable recordings include Verdi's Aida with Tebaldi, Simionato, Bergonzi, and Karajan for Decca (1959), two separate recordings of Rigoletto — one with Sutherland and Siepi for Decca (1961) and another with Grist and Gedda for EMI (1967) — and Verdi's La traviata with Stratas and Domingo conducted by Levine for Elektra (1982). His video appearances include the 1977 Met telecast of Rigoletto with Cotrubas, Domingo, and Diaz under Levine, and a 1978 Met Otello with Scotto and Vickers, also conducted by Levine.