Barry Morell, 75; Tenor at the Met Performed Puccini

Barry Morell, 75, a tenor who played leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera and internationally for more than two decades, died Thursday of esophageal cancer at his home on Cape Cod, said his wife, Joan Morell.

Born in Manhasset, N.Y., Morell made his stage debut at 17, singing “Ol’ Man River” at a Broadway benefit for the New York City Actors’ Fund.

Morell began his career as a baritone, until he sought the guidance of former Metropolitan Opera baritone Giuseppe Danise, who told him he must sing as a tenor. “Then we will see if you can become a singer,” Danise told him, according to a Met biography.

Morell was best known for performing the operas of Puccini. He made his debut as Pinkerton in “Madame Butterfly” in 1955 with the New York City Center Opera Company. In 1958, he made his Met debut in the same role.

In 1968, he moved his wife and children to Rome as his career grew.

He appeared in Berlin, Barcelona, Vienna and other opera houses in Europe, South America and across the United States.

Among his more than 20 roles during 257 performances at the Met were Rodolfo in “La Boheme,” Enzo in “La Gioconda” and the title roles of “Don Carlo” and “Faust.”