Robert Kerns, born on June 8, 1933, in Detroit, was an American baritone who was known for his stylish and versatile singing across a wide operatic repertoire. He studied at the University of Michigan and made his debut in 1955 in Toledo, Ohio, as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. After one year with the New York City Opera, he left for Europe in 1960 and joined the Zurich Opera, where he sang Kostandis in the world premiere of Bohuslav Martinů's The Greek Passion in 1961. In 1963, he began a long association with the Vienna State Opera and made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1964 in the title role of Billy Budd. He later sang at the Paris Opéra and the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and was a regular guest at the Aix-en-Provence Festival and the Salzburg Festival, performing roles such as Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Papageno in The Magic Flute, and the title role in Don Giovanni. His recordings include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly under Herbert von Karajan, the King's Herald in Lohengrin, and Donner in Das Rheingold. He died on February 15, 1989, in Vienna.
![R. Strauss: Capriccio, Op. 85, TrV 279 (Excerpts) [Live]](https://cdn-images.dzcdn.net/images/cover/50baad764c677c95bd69cb27acb1fa41/120x120-000000-80-0-0.jpg)
