On April 30, 2026, baritone Ryan Edwards died at the age of 84.

Edwards was a leading Metropolitan Opera artist who performed with the company 50 times making his debut in 1976 in “Lucia di Lammermoor” as Enrico and singing his final performance in 1986 as Escamillo in “Carmen.” With the company he sang in productions of “Don Carlo,” “Ernani,” “Madama Butterfly,” “La Boheme,” “Cavalleria Rusticana,” and “Werther.”

He went on to sing around the world in London, Paris, and Barcelona and was well-known for his Verdi roles. He went on to perform with many of the great artists of his generation including Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, James McCracken, Shirley Verrett, Jose Carreras, Cristina Deutekom, and Galina Vishnevskaya, many others.

He also performed with major orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony. He was heard on dozens of radio and television broadcasts, films, and recordings.

Following his retirement from the stage, Edwards went on to be a teacher, lecturer, and author, and gave master classes internationally and was a frequent judge for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

He also served as the president of the National Opera Association and wrote extensively about opera and drama. he wrote such books as “The Verdi Baritone” and “Verdi and Puccini Heroines.”