Albert Reiss (1870-1940) was a German tenor who made an important career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Born in Berlin, he became especially associated with character and comprimario roles in German opera.

Reiss sang for many years at the Met and appeared in historic Wagner recordings, including the Pristine catalogue’s Potted Ring material. His repertory included roles such as Mime, David and other sharply etched stage figures.

His art depended less on heroic vocal splendour than on verbal precision, character and theatrical timing. In Wagner, those qualities can be as essential as sheer volume.

Reiss represents a crucial type of opera singer: the character specialist whose craft makes the dramatic machinery work. His recordings preserve that older, text-driven German stage tradition.