Walter Cassel (May , â€" July , ) was an American operatic baritone
and actor. He began his career singing on the radio during the mid-s
and appeared in a couple of Hollywood musical films in the late s. He
made his first stage appearances in a handful of Broadway productions
during the late s and early s. He began his opera career at the
Metropolitan Opera in , and went on to have a long and fruitful
association with that house that lasted until his retirement from the
stage in . In addition to working with the Met, Cassel was also a
regular performer with the New York City Opera between and and
worked frequently as a freelance artist with important opera companies
on the international stage as well as in the United States.Born John
Walter Cassel in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Cassel began his musical
education studying the trumpet while at Thomas Jefferson High School.
He began taking private voice lessons after joining his high school's
glee club during his senior year. In , while studying dentistry at
Creighton University, Cassel was provided with the opportunity to sing
for renowned baritone Lawrence Tibbett after attending one of Tibbet's
recitals in Omaha, Nebraska. Impressed with his performance, Tibbett
praised Cassel highly in an interview with the local newspaper and
strongly encouraged him to pursue an opera career. Strongly influenced
by this encounter, Cassel headed for New York City with just "$ in his
shoe, a pair of coveralls and a briefcase full of music".Upon reaching
New York, Cassel began studying voice with Frank La Forge. Beginning
in , he began supporting himself by singing on the radio, including
such programs as Air Breaks and Hammerstein's Music Hall. Unable to
land work as an opera singer, Cassel tried his luck in Hollywood and
managed to land a good sized supporting role in the film Wine, Women,
and Horses which starred Barton MacLane and Ann Sheridan. This was
followed by a leading role in the film Romance Road where his love
interest was portrayed by Anne Nagel. Cassel, however, preferred live
performance over film work and abandoned his film career after landing
a role in the Broadway play Great Lady. He went on to star in the
musical Stars In Your Eyes and the musical revue All in Fun. In he
starred in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera's production of Rio
Rita.In Cassel auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera and was invited
by Edward Johnson to join the roster of singers at the company. He
made his debut with the company earlier than expected, replacing an
ailing singer at the last minute in the role of Bretigny in Jules
Massenet's Manon on December , with Bidu Sayão in the title role. He
continued to sing at the Met through the Spring of in mainly
comprimario roles like Count Ceprano in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto,
the Gypsy in Verdi's Il trovatore, Hermann in Jacques Offenbach's The
Tales of Hoffmann, and the Philosopher in Gustave Charpentier's
Louise. He did however get to sing two more sizable roles, Valentin in
Charles Gounod's Faust and Silvio in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
and actor. He began his career singing on the radio during the mid-s
and appeared in a couple of Hollywood musical films in the late s. He
made his first stage appearances in a handful of Broadway productions
during the late s and early s. He began his opera career at the
Metropolitan Opera in , and went on to have a long and fruitful
association with that house that lasted until his retirement from the
stage in . In addition to working with the Met, Cassel was also a
regular performer with the New York City Opera between and and
worked frequently as a freelance artist with important opera companies
on the international stage as well as in the United States.Born John
Walter Cassel in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Cassel began his musical
education studying the trumpet while at Thomas Jefferson High School.
He began taking private voice lessons after joining his high school's
glee club during his senior year. In , while studying dentistry at
Creighton University, Cassel was provided with the opportunity to sing
for renowned baritone Lawrence Tibbett after attending one of Tibbet's
recitals in Omaha, Nebraska. Impressed with his performance, Tibbett
praised Cassel highly in an interview with the local newspaper and
strongly encouraged him to pursue an opera career. Strongly influenced
by this encounter, Cassel headed for New York City with just "$ in his
shoe, a pair of coveralls and a briefcase full of music".Upon reaching
New York, Cassel began studying voice with Frank La Forge. Beginning
in , he began supporting himself by singing on the radio, including
such programs as Air Breaks and Hammerstein's Music Hall. Unable to
land work as an opera singer, Cassel tried his luck in Hollywood and
managed to land a good sized supporting role in the film Wine, Women,
and Horses which starred Barton MacLane and Ann Sheridan. This was
followed by a leading role in the film Romance Road where his love
interest was portrayed by Anne Nagel. Cassel, however, preferred live
performance over film work and abandoned his film career after landing
a role in the Broadway play Great Lady. He went on to star in the
musical Stars In Your Eyes and the musical revue All in Fun. In he
starred in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera's production of Rio
Rita.In Cassel auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera and was invited
by Edward Johnson to join the roster of singers at the company. He
made his debut with the company earlier than expected, replacing an
ailing singer at the last minute in the role of Bretigny in Jules
Massenet's Manon on December , with Bidu Sayão in the title role. He
continued to sing at the Met through the Spring of in mainly
comprimario roles like Count Ceprano in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto,
the Gypsy in Verdi's Il trovatore, Hermann in Jacques Offenbach's The
Tales of Hoffmann, and the Philosopher in Gustave Charpentier's
Louise. He did however get to sing two more sizable roles, Valentin in
Charles Gounod's Faust and Silvio in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
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