Warren possessed an exceptionally polished voice that naturally spanned a broad range, delivered secure high notes, and maintained a smooth, rich timbre from top to bottom. Verdi formed his primary focus, where he brought notable artistry and an instinctive grasp of phrasing, although he also distinguished himself in Puccini, particularly as Scarpia, and throughout the verismo repertoire.
Business initially drew his ambitions, leading him to enroll for one year at Columbia College before he abandoned those plans in 1933 to train as a singer. He began lessons at the Greenwich House Music School and, in 1935, tried out for Radio City Music Hall. A leading role was his goal, yet Robert Weede held the principal baritone position, so Warren received only a choral post. He remained with the ensemble for three years, supplementing his earnings through scattered radio broadcasts, weddings, and funerals while working with Sidney Dietch. By 1938 he had advanced to the Metropolitan Auditions of the Air. When Radio City Music Hall denied his request for several weeks of leave—he knew only a handful of arias and had never appeared in staged opera—he resigned and began intensive preparation independently. According to legend, conductor Wilfred Pelletier hurried backstage at the audition, certain that someone was playing a joke by lip-synching to a recording of Ruffo or De Luca.
To his own astonishment, Warren won both the competition and a stipend for study in Italy with teachers that included Giuseppe de Luca and Riccardo Picozzi. In under seven months he mastered five complete roles, although he had attended only a single full opera performance in his life. His Metropolitan debut, which also marked his first staged operatic appearance, took place in January 1939 as Paolo in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, with Tibbett in the title role. He quickly established himself as a favored baritone at the house, performing every major Verdi baritone part. Early stage presence proved awkward, prompting him to study acting; although never a compelling actor, he grew more comfortable and invested considerable care in his characterizations. Film offers arrived as they did for many opera singers of the era, and he made his screen debut in 1949 with When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. He originated the role of Ilo in Menotti’s The Island God, a work Menotti withdrew soon after its premiere.
His artistic center remained the Met, much like his successor Robert Merrill, and to a lesser degree Sherrill Milnes, as well as his predecessor Lawrence Tibbett, yet he appeared elsewhere: debuting as Rigoletto at the Teatro Colón in 1942, singing Il Trovatore in Mexico City in 1948, and making his La Scala bow as Iago in 1953. A Soviet Union tour followed in 1958. Long troubled by high blood pressure, he collapsed and died onstage at the Metropolitan during a 1960 performance of La Forza del Destino.
His Macbeth, recorded with Erich Leinsdorf and Leonie Rysanek (BMG/RCA GD 84516), stands out as excellent, and he and Bjoerling are heard at their finest on the Leinsdorf-led Tosca (BMG/RCA GD 84514), even though Milanov’s vocal limitations keep the set from full success.
