Leonard Warren (April 21, 1911 - March 4, 1960) was a famous American opera singer. A baritone, he was associated for many years with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Soprano Renata Tebaldi said of his voice: "it was a very, very soft, velvety voice...He was truly stupendous." The actor and opera fan Tony Randall said Warren's voice was "huge" and it filled the Metropolitan Opera theatre "like black smoke."

Biography

Born Leonard Warenoff in New York to Russian Jewish immigrant parents, Warren was first employed in his father's fur business. In 1935, he joined the chorus at Radio City Music Hall. In 1938, he entered the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air. Despite the fact Warren was obviously a novice, his natural gifts were apparent, and he was immediately given a contract. The Met sent him to Italy that summer with a stipend to study.