About: Robert Nagy (tenor)

Robert Nagy (March 3, 1929 – November 7, 2008) was an American operatic tenor who had a lengthy and fruitful association with the Metropolitan Opera that lasted for three decades. His association with the Met began when he won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1956. He mostly portrayed comprimario roles at the Met where his most memorable early role was the Messenger in Aida, a role he sang 172 times for the company. He notably sang in the world premieres of two operas by Samuel Barber at the Met: Vanessa (1958) and Antony and Cleopatra (1966). He also sang in the company premieres of Die Frau ohne Schatten (1966), Billy Budd (1978) and L'enfant et les sortilèges (1981). Although Nagy specialized in supporting roles, he also portrayed several leading parts at the Met, am