James Billings (1932 – February 3, 2022) was an American operatic baritone, librettist, and opera director. He began his career in the late 1950s in Boston and later became a member of the New York City Opera where he performed regularly from the early 1970s through the 1990s. A specialist in the comprimario repertoire, he has portrayed more than 175 opera roles on stage during his long career.[1] Billings has also written librettos for numerous operas for children and since the mid-1990s has directed several opera productions.