Norman Bailey

Norman Stanley Bailey, born 23 March 1933 in Birmingham, England, was a British operatic bass‑baritone. After leaving theology studies at Rhodes University, he trained at the Vienna Music Academy and debuted in 1959 as Tobias Mill in La cambiale di matrimonio. He joined the Deutsche Oper am Rhein (1964‑67), then appeared at La Scala in Job and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Bailey’s signature roles included Hans Sachs, Wotan, and the title part in Der fliegende Holländer, recorded with the Chicago Symphony under Georg Solti. He debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1976 and performed with the Royal Opera House and at the Bayreuth Festival. In 1977, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Bailey died on 15 September 2021 in Rexburg, Idaho, at age 88.