The American baritone Frank Guarrera was born in Philadelphia in 1923. Studying with Richard Bonelli at the Curtis Institute in his native city, he made his début as Silvio in Pagliacci at the New York City Opera in 1947. His European appearance was as Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de perles at La Scala, Milan the following year, also singing Fanvel in Acts 3 and 4 of Nerone under Toscanini. That same season he made his Metropolitan Opera début as Escamillo in Carmen and over the next 28 seasons sang over four hundred performances with the Company. In addition he sang with the New York City Opera. His repertoire included all the principal Italian baritone rôles. He also sang in Chicago, San Francisco, London and Paris. His most celebrated recording is as Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, recorded in 1950 under Toscanini, in addition to taking part in a series of Metropolitan Opera recordings for the Book-of-the-Month Club. After retiring from singing he later taught at the Curtis Institute.