Merrill, Robert, 1917–2004, American baritone, b. Brooklyn, N.Y., as Moishe Miller. In 1945 he won the Metropolitan Opera's Auditions of the Air and in the same year made his debut as Germont in Verdi's La Traviata. Known for his smooth and powerful voice, he subsequently became one of the most popular baritones in the company, singing the French and Italian repertoires. Among his important roles were Renato in Verdi's Un Ballo in maschera, Amonasro in Aïda, and Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen.
See his autobiographies (1965, 1976), Once More from the Beginning (1965) and Between Acts (1976).
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