Melvyn Poll made his operatic debut in 1970 in Kaiserslautern, Germany. He then spent three seasons with the Israel National Opera and made his American debut at New York City Opera in 1974 where he sang the tenor leads in “La Boheme”, “ Madama Butterfly”, “La Traviata”, Lucia Di Lammermoor “, and “Faust”.

His career was put on hold in 1977 when he donated a kidney to his brother, but resumed a year later when he accepted a contract with the Wuppertal Opera, Germany, where, as well as the standard repertoire, he also sang Belioz’s “Benvenuto Cellini” and Shostakovich’s “ Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk, in a much acclaimed performance, which was it’s European premier.

He returned to Seattle with his family to become the Cantor / Musical Director of Temple Di Hirsch Sinai in 1981. His guest appearances included opera and symphony performances with Mostly Mozart, New York; Chicago Lyric Opera; New York Chamber Symphony; Seattle Opera; Seattle Symphony; American Symphony,Carnegie Hall; New York City Opera, Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.; Boston Opera; Minneapolis Symphony; Concert Opera Orchestra of Boston; and Bergen Symphony, Norway.

He earned a Juris doctor degree from the University of Washington, and served on the Seattle Arts commission as well as the boards of Cornish, Pratt, Downtown Seattle Association / Metropolitan Improvement, Jewish Family Service and Seattle Opera.