Morris, James (Peppler)

Morris, James (Peppler), outstanding American bass-baritone; b. Baltimore, Jan. 10, 1947. After studies with a local teacher, he won a scholarship to the Univ. of Md.; concurrently received invaluable instruction from Rosa Ponselle; then continued his studies with Frank Valentino at the Peabody Cons, of Music in Baltimore (1966–68). He made his debut as Crespel in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with the Baltimore Civic Opera (1967). After further training with Nicola Moscona at the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts (1968–70), he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as the King in Aida on Jan. 7, 1971. He also appeared with the Opera Orch. of N.Y. and sang widely in Europe. In 1975 he scored a notable success as Don Giovanni at the Metropolitan. Although closely associated with the Italian and French repertoires, he appeared as Wotan in Die Walküre at the Baltimore Civic Opera in 1984. Morris subsequently sang that role in the San Francisco Opera’s Ring cycle in 1985, eliciting extraordinary critical acclaim. In 1986 he appeared at the Salzburg Festival as Mozart’s Guglielmo and Figaro. In 1990 he sang Méphistophélès in Cincinnati and at the Metropolitan Opera, where he also appeared as Wotan, and as the Wanderer in Siegfried at London’s Covent Garden. He portrayed Wotan at the Lyric Opera in Chicago in 1993 and 1996. In 1995 he sang that role at the San Francisco Opera, and returned there in 1997 as Scarpia. After singing lago at the Metropolitan Opera in 1995, he returned there as Mozart’s Figaro in 1997. He portrayed Wotan at the San Francisco Opera in 1999. His other esteemed roles include Count Almaviva, Philip II, the Dutchman, the 4 villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Timur in Le Roi de Lahore, Scarpia, and Claggart in Billy Budd.In 1987 he married Susan Quittmeyer.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire