in the world premiere of The Crucible (opera) by Robert Ward at the New York City Opera, and also in its first recording. Irving Kolodin noted in The Saturday Review that "Maurice Stern was a striking Giles Corey". Stern performed regularly with the company through 1963 and later returned as guest in the roles of Robespierre in the American premieres of Danton's Death by Gottfried von Einem and The Inspector General by Werner Egk. He also appeared as the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex by Igor Stravinsky. Further roles in Douglas Moore operas included: An Old Silver Miner in The Ballad of Baby Doe; The Lecturer at the National Gallery in the world premiere of The Wings of the Dove at the New York City Opera, and a repeat performance of Mr. Scratch in The Devil and Daniel Webster at Kansas City Lyric Theater. Stern appeared as Captain James Lee in the world premiere of Deseret, an opera by Leonard Kastle based on an episode in the life of the Mormon prophet Brigham Young. Both the world premiere with the Memphis Opera Theatre and later performances with the Pasadana Opera Company were conducted by Anton Coppola and directed by Leonard Kastle. As character tenor, Stern performed the roles of The Steersman in Der Fliegende Hollander with Birgit Nilsson and Ramon Vinay at the Pittsburgh Opera, directed by Tito Capobianco; Gaston in La Traviata with Joan Sutherland at Philadelphia Lyric Opera; Remendado in Carmen with Jon Vickers at Philadelphia Lyric Opera; Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette with Franco Corelli at Philadelphia Lyric Opera; and Trin in La Fanciulla del West with Franco Corelli at Philadelphia Lyric Opera with Anton Guadagno conducting. It was at this time that Maestro Guadagno suggested that Stern change his professional operatic name to "Mauro Lampi." Under his newly adopted stage name Stern performed the role of Rustighello at the debut of Montserrat Caballé in Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie Hall. When Caballé appeared again at Carnegie Hall later that year in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, Stern performed the role of Lord Cecil. Both performances at Carnegie Hall were commercially recorded. In 1962 Stern was a recipient of the Ford Foundation Grant for Opera Singers. He began singing leading tenor roles nationally in opera houses around the United States, such as Rodolfo in La Boheme with The Syracuse Opera Company and with Arlington Opera, Roméo in Roméo et Juliette