James Pease

James Pease (Indianapolis, 9 January 1916 – New York, 26 April 1967) was an American bass-baritone, notable for his Wagnerian roles. He was also a distinguished Balstrode in Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, a role which he was the first to perform in the US in 1946, and later recorded under the composer’s direction in 1958.

A law graduate of Indiana University in 1939, Pease won a scholarship at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and studied there rather than begin practice as a lawyer. He made his debut with the Philadelphia Opera Company as Mephistopheles in Faust, and sang many other roles with the company both in Philadelphia and in Boston. He also pursued concert, oratorio and radio work on the East Coast of the United States He was praised by Serge Koussevitzky as having "An exceptionally beautiful, powerful, expansive voice".

In 1943 he was selected a winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air, but was immediately called for service as an aviation cadet. He served three years as a pilot in the A.A.F. Training Command, flying some 15,000 miles. He also directed and performed in musical shows at his home base in Texas.

On his discharge in 1945, he appeared at the Montreal Festivals and in a series of operas at the New York City Center Theatre, making his debut there as Sparafucile on 9 May 1946 (continuing to sing at that venue until 1953). Also in that year he sang in Carmen at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. He was also a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. and at the Berkshire Festival.