Donald McIntyre

Sir Donald Conroy McIntyre (22 October 1934 – 13 November 2025) was a New Zealand operatic bass-baritone who made an international career, based at the Royal Opera House in London from 1967. He was a versatile singer but became best-known for portraying Wagner characters, especially Wotan in the Bayreuth Jahrhundertring in 1976.

Life and career Early life and education Born in Auckland on 22 October 1934, McIntyre was the son of Hermyn and George McIntyre. His mother played violin, and he listened to music on radio and records.

McIntyre died in Munich on 13 November 2025, at the age of 91.

Honours and awards McIntyre was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1977 New Year Honours, for services to opera. In the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was promoted to Commander of the order. In 1990, McIntyre received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. Also in 1992, McIntyre was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Auckland.

He won a Grammy Award in 1982 for recording the role of Wotan/Wanderer, in the category Best opera recording.

Recordings His discography includes Golaud in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, alongside George Shirley and Elisabeth Söderström, conducted by Pierre Boulez, recorded in 1969. He recorded Klingsor in Wagner's Parsifal, with Gwyneth Jones as Kundry, in 1970. He recorded Telramund in Lohengrin, conducted by Rudolf Kempe, took part in Stravinsky's Oedipus rex, conducted by Georg Solti, with Peter Pears in the title role, in 1976, and performed as Gurnemanz in Parsifal, conducted by Reginald Goodall, in a 1984 recording. He also recorded oratorios by Handel, Messiah and Saul.

Also on DVD are his performances of the title role of Der fliegende Holländer, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch in 1974, Orest in Elektra, alongside Birgit Nilsson in the title role, conducted by James Levine and directed by Herbert Graf in 1980, Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, conducted by Charles Mackerras in 1988, Arabella by R. Strauss, alongside Kiri Te Kanawa in the title role, in 1994, as well as another Elektra, conducted by Levine the same year.