Bass-baritone Jean-Philippe Courtis passed away suddenly on May 23.

Courtis was born on May 24, 1951, in Airaines, France. Before venturing in to voice, he studied conducting and musicology at the Sorbonne. Later, he joined the Opéra national de Paris as part of its inaugural class.

He became a soloist with the Paris Opera, making his debut at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. He appeared in many European opera houses such as Lisbon, Marseille, Amsterdam, and the Garnier Opera of Paris. His roles included M. Javelinot, Werther, Zuniga, and Arkel. He participated in the world premiere of he performed the world premiere of Messiaen’s “Saint-François d’Assise” in 1983, and in Debussy’s incomplete and forgotten opera, “Rodrigue et Chimene” in 1993. Courtis can be heard on more than 30 opera recordings. His discography includes “Pelléas et Mélisande,” “Le roi d’Ys,” and “Samson et Delilah.”

Courtis taught singing at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and at the Amiens National Conservatory. He is conducted of the Regional Choir Musicaa.

Jean-Philippe Courtis leaves behind his wife Noëlle Bedu-Courtis, their daughter, and many other loved ones.