On May 15, Dame Felicity Lott has died at the age of 79. The news comes days after the soprano gave an interview with the BBC in which announced she had terminal cancer. Born on May 8, 1947 in Cheltenham to a family of amateur musicians, Lott grew up as a lover of all things French and read French and {…}
On May 5, British-Ukrainian bass-baritone Pavlo Hunka died at the age of 67. Born in England to a Ukrainian father and an English mother on April 7, 1959, Hunka qualified as a linguist and practiced as a lawyer in the UK before changing to a singing career. He first began vocal studies at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music and {…}
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,” {…}
Mezzo-soprano Batyah Godfrey Ben-David has died at the age of 85. Ben-David is best-known for having performed at the Metropolitan Opera having made her debut on Feb. 17, 1969 and performing 595 performances until April 16, 1988. She went on to appear on multiple recordings at the Met, including “Idomeneo” with Pavarotti, “Rigoletto” with Placido Domingo, “Lulu” with Julia Migenes, {…}
Soprano Khayakazi Madlala has died at the age of 32. The soprano died on May 5 after a short illness. Cape Town Opera was the first to announce the news and said, “We are heartbroken by the unexpected passing of our beloved colleague, Khayakazi Madlala. Our thoughts go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.” Born {…}
On April 27, leading South African soprano Mimi Coertse died at the age of 93. Born Maria Sophia Coertse on June 12, 1932 in Durban, Coertse matriculated at the Helpmekaar Girls High School in Johannesburg and began vocal studies in South Africa in 1949. She made her debut in South Africa singing Händel’s “Messiah” at the Johannesburg City Hall in {…}
Conductor Leon Lovett has passed away. He was 91. Lovett studied music in Cambridge. Early in his career, he became the Assistant Conductor of the Scottish National Orchestra, and also conducted the Scottish Opera. In 1950, he co-founded the New Opera Company at Sadler’s Wells with Peter Hemmings and Brian Trowell. As Music Director of the New Opera Company, he {…}
Michael Tilson Thomas has died at the age of 81. The conductor died at home on April 22, 2026 surrounded by family and friends. In 2021, he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive type of brain cancer. Through his illness he continued to make music. He was preceded in death by his husband Joshua Robison. Born in Los Angeles {…}
Conductor Víctor Eloy López Cerezo has died at the age of 43. According to reports, the conductor died in his hometown in Malaga due to cancer he had been battling for a year. Born in Malaga, the conductor went on to study Music History and Sciences and obtained a diploma in Musical Teaching, a Master in Spanish Musical Heritage and {…}
Petro Pryimak, soloist of the National Opera of Ukraine, has died at the age of 57. An honored artist and teacher, Pryimak’s death was announced by Anatoliy Solovyanenko , the chief director of the National Opera, on Facebook. Born in the Ternopil region, Pryimak was a graduate from the Kyiv Conservatory and was a soloist of the National Opera of {…}
On March 23, 2026, tenor Janusz Ratajczak died at the age of 64 after a car accident. Born in 1962 in Poland, Ratajczak graduated from the Mechanical Technical School in Szczecinek and sang in the De Profundis Choir, where he met his wife. After graduating from high school, Ratajczak went on to study at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz {…}
