Tag: James McCracken

Mezzo-soprano Sandra Warfield and tenor James McCracken were husband and wife. McCracken of course had a huge international career, Verdi’s Otello being one of his finest roles. Ms. Warfield’s career was not so hi-profile, though substantial.

The couple were married in 1953. In 1957, feeling that The Met was not utilizing him to his full capabilities, McCracken headed to Europe where he and Ms. Warfield joined the Zurich Opera. In 1964, McCracken returned to The Met in triumph as Verdi’s Moor.

In 1966, the couple sang together as Samson and Dalila in a Met concert performance at Lewisohn Stadium. In 1968, they sang these roles together again in the Met’s New York City Parks series. On January 13th, 1972, Warfield and McCracken finally appeared together in principal roles on The Met stage in a performance of SAMSON ET DALILA that marked Ms. Warfield’s final Met appearance.

Sandra Warfield went on to a successful career in cabaret whilst her husband continued to be a major Met star until 1986, when he sang with the Company for the last time in a concert performance of AIDA in Central Park. Aprile Millo and Grace Bumbry were his co-stars that evening. Mr. McCracken passed away in 1988, and Ms. Warfield in 2009.

In 1983, having absented himself from the Met yet again for three years, McCracken sang at the gala performance celebrating the 100th birthday of The Met. Having been thrilled by two of the tenor’s late-career performances as The Moor at Hartford and Boston, I was so happy to have been there on that gala afternoon to witness the warm welcome he received when he walked onstage to sing Otello’s great monolog, with James Levine conducting. You can watch that performance here. Thereafter he sang about a dozen more performances with the Company, including the AIDA that marked Leontyne Price’s farewell to opera in 1984 – a performance that was televised. 

I am not sure if Mr. McCracken ever sang Andrea Chenier onstage, but his recording of the Act I Improviso is powerful:

James McCracken – ANDREA CHENIER ~ Improviso

Ms. Warfield is heard here as Mozart’s Marcellina in the Act I duet with Roberta Peters as Susanna.  And here are Warfield and McCracken together in the Judgement Scene duet from AIDA:

Sandra Warfield & James McCracken – AIDA scene 

~ Oberon