Sydney Rayner – Operatic Tenor

Born:September 12, 1895
Died:September 14, 1981
American Tenor.

Sydney Rayner was an American tenor born in New Orleans in 1895.
He made his debut in Italy in 1927 before being invited to the Opera Comique in Paris, where he spent five very successful years. He was the first American to sing Don José at the Opera Comique and other roles in which he would have claimed included Louise, Manon, Tosca and Werther.

Rayner also appeared in Leo, Marseille and Tunis before being called to the New York Metropolitan in 1936. An ample voice of rich quality won him success there, especially in the lyrical Spinto roles. He retired in full voice and became a voice teacher in New York City.

Here he is in one of his famous operatic roles, Werther, singing his song to nature’s beauty.