LÉON RAINS, Bass * 01 October 1870, New York City, New York, USA + 11 June 1954, Los Angeles, California, USA;

American bass Léon Rains (1870-1954) made his debut (1897) with the Damrosch-Ellis Opera Company. He spent eighteen years with the Dresden Royal Opera (and in other European houses) but because he was an American citizen he felt obliged to leave Germany at the outbreak of World War I. Although he was one of the finest basses in Germany, he appeared, sadly, with few accolades at the Metropolitan Opera in 1909.