British Baritone Benjamin Luxon died last week (25 July) at the age of 87. Luxon was born in Redruth, Cornwall in 1937. He won the third prize at the 1961 ARD International Music Competition in Munich. Soon afterward he joined composer Benjamin Britten’s English Opera Group. In 1971, Britten composed the title role of his opera Owen Wingrave specifically for Luxon’s voice.
The following year, 1972, Luxon made his début at both the Royal Opera House in London and at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival. In 1974, Luxon began his long association with the English National Opera. He made his Metropolitan Opera début in 1980, his La Scala début in 1986, and his Los Angeles début in 1988. He sang in most of the major European opera houses and concert halls.
