News In Brief

Jan Peerce, opera singer

Jan Peerce, who passed on Saturday, was one of the most respected tenors of his day. His recording of ''The Bluebird of Happiness'' was a tremendous seller, and he used the name of the song as the title of his autobiography.

Mr. Peerce debuted with the Metropolitan Opera in 1941, when American tenors were not taken very seriously, and became a favorite of Arturo Toscanini.