Bill Sali: “We do rise today to honor a truly great artist in the field of opera. Robert Merrill, the highly acclaimed baritone…”

“We do rise today to honor a truly great artist in the field of opera. Robert Merrill, the highly acclaimed baritone singer was well known for his remarkable career with the Metropolitan Opera. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, son of Polish immigrants, and he was first inspired to perform as a singer after watching a performance of Il Trovatore as a teenager. His mother guided him through his early musical training, which he paid for by working as a semiprofessional baseball pitcher. An avid baseball fan, he became widely known for his annual singing of the national anthem at Yankee Stadium on opening day and for special events, a tradition he carried on for over 30 years. His legendary performances at the Metropolitan Opera brought him national fame and recognition in the arts and the opportunity to perform with other notable singers and entertainers. He performed for numerous presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. Throughout his career, he performed as a soloist with some of the world's greatest conductors, made numerous recordings, and appeared at several worldwide music festivals. Outside of the stage performances, he also ventured into radio and television. Robert Merrill enjoyed a successful career in performing music for over 30 years. His velvety smooth voice was said to have improved with every performance.”