Deborah Lifton has died at the age of 48.

The soprano died on Jan. 5 with her family by her side after a courageous battle with cancer since the summer of 2023.

Born in Manhasset, NY, she was raised in Massapequa Park, NY and graduated from Massapequa High School, where she starred in multiple musical theater productions. She went on to do summer programs for young singers at the Eastman School of Music and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She later graduated from the University of Michigan in Vocal performance. She completed her Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music. She became an influential teacher at New York University, Ithaca College, Western Connecticut State University, and the Hartt School at the University of Hartford.

She also performed in France, Hungary, China, Italy, and across the United States. She performed at the Greve Opera Festival in Greve, Italy, as well as The Bushnell in Hartford, Connecticut Lyric Opera, and New York’s Merkin Hall.

She performed with The American Opera Project’s “Composers and the Voice” series, with the Center for Contemporary Opera, Encompass New Opera Theater, and the Magnitude 6 ensemble.