Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Basil Ruysdael-originally Basil Spaulding Millspaugh-studied mechanical engineering as a special student at Cornell University while performing with its glee club, and later sang bass-baritone secondary roles at the Metropolitan Opera from 1910 to 1918. After relocating to California in 1923 to teach voice, his most celebrated pupil became baritone Lawrence Tibbett…
