William Chapman (baritone)

William Chapman (April 30, 1923 – April 24, 2012) was an American operatic baritone and stage actor. He appeared in several Broadway productions and was notably a leading performer at the New York City Opera from 1957 through 1979.

Born in Los Angeles, Chapman graduated from the University of Southern California and first worked as an actor in minor film parts with Paramount Pictures before pursuing vocal training with William De Mille, Edward Lippi, and Leon Cepparo in his native city. He moved to New York City in 1954 and began studying with Raymond Smolov. He starred Off-Broadway in Carmen Lombardo and John Jacob Loeb's 1955 musical Arabian Nights at the Jones Beach Marine Theatre opposite Lauritz Melchior and Helena Scott. In December 1956 he made his Broadway debut in the original production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide as Ferone and the Lawyer.

Chapman made his first opera appearance as Barone Douphol in the NBC Opera Theatre's April 1957 television broadcast of Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata with Elaine Malbin as Violetta, Igor Gorin as Germont, and John Alexander as Alfredo. He made his first appearance on the live opera stage in July 1957 at the Cleveland Musicarnival as Scarpia in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca with Beverly Sills as the title heroine and John Gutman directing. He joined the roster of principal artists at the New York City Opera later that year, making his first appearance with the company in the title role of Verdi's Macbeth on October 24, 1957 with Irene Jordan as Lady Macbeth, Norman Treigle as Banquo, Giuseppe Gismondo as Macduff, Ernest McChesney as Malcolm, and Helen Baisley as the Lady-in-waiting. The following month he appeared at the NYCO as Sharpless in Puccini's Madama Butterfly with Mary Hensley as Cio-Cio-San. After the production closed he played Jigger in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel at the West Palm Beach Musicarnival with Stephen Douglass as Billy in January–February 1958.

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