(Photo credit: Raber Umphenour) John Conklin, a notable theater and opera designer, passed on June 24, 2025. He was 88. Born on June 22, 1937, in Hartford, Connecticut, Conklin studied at Kingswood-Oxford School and Yale University. Throughout his career he designed for such companies as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, English National Opera, Royal Opera Stockholm, Opéra National {…}
Soprano Beate Ritter has died at the age of 41. Sono Artists, who managed the soprano, released a statement noting, “We are devastated at the loss of soprano Beate Ritter, who was a client of the agency since 2014. Beate was – for me – first of all, the kindest of souls, compassionate, and full of life and love for {…}
On June 4, Soprano Dinah Bryant died. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 1, 1953, Bryant studied at Georgia State University and went on to have a successful operatic career singing more than 50 roles. Throughout her career, Bryant sang at many of the leading opera houses in the world, including the Opera de Bellas Artes, which she opened during {…}
On June 8, 2025, tenor Vladislav Gorai, a soloist with the Odesa National Opera, died while engaged in a volunteer mission in the northern region of Sumy bordering Russia. The Odesa Opera, which was where Gorai performed, said, “Today, June 8, while performing his volunteer mission in the Sumy region, the soloist of the Odesa National Opera, a world-class tenor, {…}
Voices of Ascension has announced the passing of Liz Norman. Norman passed away in Brooklyn next to her family, after a long battle with cancer. She was known as one of the most important altos in the Voices of Ascension ensemble from the earliest days, before the organization was incorporated, up until 2009. After leaving the chorus, she served as {…}
On May 16, 2025, Maria Lúcia Godoy died at the age of 100. Born in Mesquita, Brazil, on Sept. 2, 1924, Godoy graduated in Literature from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) and then went on to study music with Honorina Prates and Pasquale Gambardella. The soprano went on to win several competitions and became the main soloist of {…}
On May 15, 2025, Legendary tenor Luigi Alva died at the age of 98. Alva was born in Paita, Peru, on April 10, 1927, Alva never had plans of being a singer. In an interview with OperaWire back in 2018, he said, “I wanted to be a marine. I entered navy school in Peru, but singing was always there inside me.” {…}
(Credit: Chris Gloag) On May 10, 2025, English bass Matthew Best died at the age of 68. Born on Feb. 6, 1957 performed for 35-year as an opera singer, taking on over 100 operatic roles including Wotan in “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” the title role in “Der fliegende Holländer,” Heinrich in “Lohengrin,” both Kurwenal and Marke in “Tristan und Isolde,” {…}
On May 4, 2025, Alberto Mastromarino died following a long illness. Born in Castelnuovo della Misericordia, Italy, Mastromarino studied under Paolo Silveri. He went on to make his debut in 1987 in the role of Amonasro in “Aida” at the Teatro Eliseo di Roma. Mastromarino would perform over 50 roles in his repertoire all around the world. Among his most {…}
Famed director Pierre Audi has died at the age of 67. Born in Beirut, Audi went on to study at Oxford and founded the Almeida Theatre in London in 1979, as well as its International Festival of Contemporary Music, which he directed until 1989. In 1988, he was appointed the Artistic Director of Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam where he {…}
On April 28, 2025, soprano Denise Dupleix died at the age of 97. Per Forum Opera, soprano was born on August 1, 1927, studied at Tours Conservatory at the age of six, and at 17, was cast in a radio interview and received acclaim for her performance of “Salut à la France.” She went on to study at the CNS {…}