Tenor Sydney Rayner
mark rayner
Met in the 1930s. The Met provided me some interesting information from
their
archives regarding Sydney and I'm curious to learn anything else might
know or remember about him. Although he had a great talent for singing,
his attitude got in the way and unfortunately reduced the length of what
could have been a much longer, more successful career. Following the
end of his Met career, he remained in New York. He died in New York in
1981.
The Baker's Biographical Dictionary has the following:
Sydney Rayner, tenor; b. New Orleans, Sep. 12, 1895; studied there and
in Paris
and Milan; 1921, made his debut in the Teatro Adriano, Rome, as Rodolfo;
until
1929 engaged in various Italian opera houses; 1929, appeared at the
Staatsoper,
Berlin; 1930, made his Paris debut as Julien in "Louise" at the
Opera-Comique,
of which he was a member for 5 years; in the spring season of 1936 he
sang at
the Metropolitan Opera House (debut as Don Jose); guest appearances with
the
San Francisco and Los Angeles Operas; concert engagements in the US and
Europe.
Additionally, I have the following information regarding his
performances at the Met:
3 seasons
7 works
7 roles
38 performances
debut 5/23/36 -- last perf 4/6/38
AIDA -- Radames -- 1st perf. 5/27/36 (5 total)
CARMEN -- Don Jose -- 1st perf. 5/23/36 (5 total)
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA -- Turiddu -- 1st perf. 6/6/36 (7 total)
LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN -- Hoffmann -- 1st perf. 1/14/37 (2 total)
FAUST -- Faust -- 1st perf. 5/3/37 (2 total)
MANON -- Des Grieux -- 1st perf. 2/13/37 (3 total)
PAGLIACCI -- Canio -- 1st perf. 5/15/37 (1 total)
Other: Concerts -- 1/24/37, 2/14/37, 2/28/37, 3/21/37, 12/5/37, 1/2/38,
1/9/38, 1/16/38, 1/23/38, 2/6/38, 2/13/38, 2/27/38, 3/13/38 (13)
Additionally, I learned through the liner notes of a CD he performed on
that he also had several musical appearances on Broadway in 1947. I am
very interested in learning more about his Broadway appearances but
unfortunately know no more information other than the year was 1947.
If you can forward me any information or point me in new directions to
obtain more information regarding Sydney Rayner please respond.
Thank you!
Enrique Eskenazi
<76BBC57CEFB4BC53.9824067E...@library-proxy.airnew
>I'm conducing research on my grandfather, Sydney Rayner, who sang at
the
>Met in the 1930s.
(snip)
>Additionally, I have the following information regarding his
>performances at the Met:
>3 seasons
>7 works
>7 roles
>38 performances
>debut 5/23/36 -- last perf 4/6/38
>AIDA -- Radames -- 1st perf. 5/27/36 (5 total)
>CARMEN -- Don Jose -- 1st perf. 5/23/36 (5 total)
>CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA -- Turiddu -- 1st perf. 6/6/36 (7 total)
>LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN -- Hoffmann -- 1st perf. 1/14/37 (2 total)
>FAUST -- Faust -- 1st perf. 5/3/37 (2 total)
>MANON -- Des Grieux -- 1st perf. 2/13/37 (3 total)
>PAGLIACCI -- Canio -- 1st perf. 5/15/37 (1 total)
>Other: Concerts -- 1/24/37, 2/14/37, 2/28/37, 3/21/37, 12/5/37, 1/2/38,
>1/9/38, 1/16/38, 1/23/38, 2/6/38, 2/13/38, 2/27/38, 3/13/38 (13)
That 1937 performance of Manon (with Sayao) is available on CD in the
Naxos Historical series.
Regards
---
Enrique
eske...@mail.sendanet.es
Io chi sono? Eh, non lo so.
-Nol sapete?
Quasi no.
TomKauf2
friends (not on the internet, and we are no longer in contact) was a student of
his.
I have the Cincinnati book, where he sang for 3 seasons, and know that he sang
a great deal with the touring San Carlo company (1933-34, 1939-40, and
1946-47).
I am sure I also have a bit more in my chronology collection.
Cheers
Tom
Allen Klavons
mark rayner wrote in message
<76BBC57CEFB4BC53.9824067E...@library-proxy.airnews.ne
t>...
>I'm conducing research on my grandfather, Sydney Rayner, who sang at the
>Met in the 1930s.
Although this is not relevant to the information that you asked for, your
posting evoked memories of my late father`s reminiscing regarding the San
Carlo Opera. He attended a performance of Cavalleria & Pagliacci in which
your grandfather sang both Turiddu and Canio, and quite impressively, he
said. You can be proud of your grandfather.
tdu...@gmail.com
> I'm conducing research on my grandfather, Sydney Rayner, who sang at the
> their
> archives regarding Sydney and I'm curious to learn anything else might
> know or remember about him. Although he had a great talent for singing,
> his attitude got in the way and unfortunately reduced the length of what
> could have been a much longer, more successful career. Following the
> end of his Met career, he remained in New York. He died in New York in
> 1981.
>
> The Baker's Biographical Dictionary has the following:
> Sydney Rayner, tenor; b. New Orleans, Sep. 12, 1895; studied there and
> in Paris
> and Milan; 1921, made his debut in the Teatro Adriano, Rome, as Rodolfo;
> until
> 1929 engaged in various Italian opera houses; 1929, appeared at the
> Staatsoper,
> Berlin; 1930, made his Paris debut as Julien in "Louise" at the
> Opera-Comique,
> of which he was a member for 5 years; in the spring season of 1936 he
> sang at
> the Metropolitan Opera House (debut as Don Jose); guest appearances with
> the
> San Francisco and Los Angeles Operas; concert engagements in the US and
> Europe.
>
> performances at the Met:
> 3 seasons
> 7 works
> 7 roles
> 38 performances
> debut 5/23/36 -- last perf 4/6/38
> AIDA -- Radames -- 1st perf. 5/27/36 (5 total)
> CARMEN -- Don Jose -- 1st perf. 5/23/36 (5 total)
> CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA -- Turiddu -- 1st perf. 6/6/36 (7 total)
> LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN -- Hoffmann -- 1st perf. 1/14/37 (2 total)
> FAUST -- Faust -- 1st perf. 5/3/37 (2 total)
> MANON -- Des Grieux -- 1st perf. 2/13/37 (3 total)
> PAGLIACCI -- Canio -- 1st perf. 5/15/37 (1 total)
> Other: Concerts -- 1/24/37, 2/14/37, 2/28/37, 3/21/37, 12/5/37, 1/2/38,
> 1/9/38, 1/16/38, 1/23/38, 2/6/38, 2/13/38, 2/27/38, 3/13/38 (13)
>
tdu...@gmail.com
I'm so happy to have found this. I grew up in Portland, Oregon and, in the 1940s, as a young opera fan, I attended every performance given by the San Carlo Opera Company. I saw Sydney Rayner many times and in many roles, 1945-1949. I still have a few programmes, some with his autograph. Those were the great days of opera. The top price was $3.50, though I always sat in the $1.80 seats. It was a rare opportunity to see and hear some marvellous singers, young and old, in all the great standard repertoire operas. Unforgettable!!
Cheers,
Tom Durrie
Boston Bar, British Columbia
tdu...@telus.net