Bryan Ernest Hare Drake (7 October 1925 โ 25 December 2001) was a New Zealand-born baritone who became particularly associated with the operas of Benjamin Britten. Born in Dunedin, Drake sang in the choir of the local St Paul's cathedral, and was educated at Otago Boys' High School. He then studied at the University of Otago, where he sang with the music society. He made his opera debut in 1948 as Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen, in a production originally staged as part of the Otago Centennial, which then toured around the country.