Hines (real name, Heinz), Jerome (Albert Link)

Hines (real name, Heinz), Jerome (Albert Link), distinguished American bass; b. Los Angeles, Nov. 8, 1921. He received training in mathematics, chemistry, and physics at the Univ. of Calif, at Los Angeles (B.A., 1943), and concurrently took vocal lessons with Gennaro Curci in Los Angeles; he later studied voice with Samuel Margolis in N.Y. In 1940 he made his stage debut as Bill Bobstay in H. M.S. Pinafore with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. On Oct. 19, 1941, he made his San Francisco Opera debut as Monter-one. He then made appearances as a soloist with American orchs., and also sang with the New Orleans Opera (1944–46). After winning the Caruso Award in 1946, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. as the Sergeant in Boris Godunov on Nov. 21, 1946; he first sang its title role there on Feb. 18, 1954, making a memorable impression. In the meantime, he sang in South America and Europe. He appeared at the Glyn-debourne and Edinburgh Festivals in 1953, at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in 1954, and at La Scala in Milan and the Bayreuth Festival in 1958. On Sept. 23, 1962, he made a dramatic debut at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow when he sang Boris Godunov in Russian. He continued to sing regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, where he remained on the roster for over 45 years. In addition to his commanding portrayal of Boris Godunov, he also won distinction for such roles as Don Giovanni, Sarastro, Wotan, Philip II, Don Basilio, and King Marke. His deep religious faith was revealed in his choice of Christ as the subject of his opera I Am the Way, and in the title of his autobiography This is My Story, This is My Song (1968). He also publ, a book of interviews as Great Singers on Great Singing (1982) and the volume The Four Voices of Man (1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire