Felicity Lott
English soprano (1947–2026)
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Dame Felicity Ann Emwhyla Lott (8 May 1947 – 15 May 2026[3]) was an English soprano.
8 May 1947
Felicity Lott | |
|---|---|
| Born | Felicity Ann Emwhyla Lott 8 May 1947 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
| Died | 15 May 2026 (aged 79) |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Occupation | Soprano |
Education
Lott was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. From her earliest years she was musical, having started studying piano at age five. She also played violin and began singing lessons at 12. She was an alumna of Royal Holloway, University of London, obtaining a BA in French and Latin in 1969.[4]
Career
Lott made her operatic debut at the City of London Festival in 1974 as Seleuce in handel's Tolomeo. The following year she appeared as Pamina in Mozart's The Magic Flute at the English National Opera.[4] In 1976 she appeared in the premiere of Hans Werner Henze's We Come to the River at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.[1]
She was associated with the works of Richard Strauss including his "lieder" including the Four Last Songs and the roles of the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and the Countess in Capriccio. She also appeared in operettas, performing the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow at Glyndebourne, as well as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss and the title roles in Offenbach's La belle Hélène and La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein.[5]
She had a special love for French mélodies, German lieder and the English art song repertoire, particularly the songs by Benjamin Britten. She was a founding member of the Songmakers' Almanac. Her accompanist since her student days was Graham Johnson, and they gave a great number of recitals together.[6]
Lott was a member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians[7] as well as Patron of the Southwell Music Festival.[8]
Honours and awards
Lott received many honorary doctorates, including the universities of Oxford, London, Leicester, Sussex, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow and the Sorbonne in Paris.[9] She was elected to the French Legion of Honour and made a DBE in 1996. She sang at the wedding of Prince Andrew in 1986. In 2003 Dame Felicity was awarded the title of Bayerische Kammersängerin. She was a vice-president of the British Youth Opera and The Bach Choir.[10]
In autumn 2009 it was announced that she had been appointed a Visiting Professor by Royal Holloway[11] having previously been appointed an Honorary Fellow of the college.[12]
On 9 February 2010, she was presented with The Wigmore Hall Medal by the Duke of Kent KG, at the launch of the hall's 110th anniversary programme. The medal was introduced in 2006 and is awarded to internationally important artistic figures in recognition of their significant contribution to Wigmore Hall. The citation praised her "unique contribution to Wigmore Hall and to the advancement of the song recital as a concert-going experience throughout the world." It was 35 years since she first performed there, in 1975.[13]
She was a Patron of the British Voice Association[14] and a Patron of Bampton Classical Opera.[15]
Personal life
Lott died of cancer on 15 May 2026.[16]
Videography
Complete operas include Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena), Offenbach: La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (La Grande Duchesse), Offenbach: La belle Hélène (Hélene), Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (Pamina), and Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress (Anne Trulove).
- Glyndebourne Festival Opera: a Gala Evening (1992), Arthaus Musik DVD, 100–432, 2004