Sad news: baritone Stephen Roberts has died at the age of 73.

Dec 13, 2022 | News | 9 comments

9 Comments

Ian Johnson on December 13, 2022 at 4:16 pm

He was actually 73
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- canderson on December 13, 2022 at 4:54 pm
  
  Thanks. I was advised 74. For the record, Stephen was born on February 8, 1949.
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Andrew Keener on December 13, 2022 at 10:11 pm

Very sad news, and far too soon for him to go. My third-ever project as recording producer was for a Hyperion recording called ‘Songs by Finzi and his Friends’ in the early 1980s. Ian Partridge sang the tenor settings, Stephen those for baritone. His wonderfully intelligent, relaxed persona in the studio – to say nothing of the easy warmth of his voice – remains a vivid memory.
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- pjl on December 14, 2022 at 11:28 am
  
  A wonderful cd that is a lovely way to remember this great artist.
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Mary Lloyd-Davies on December 14, 2022 at 10:23 am

I am very saddened to hear the news of Stephen’s death.
We were at College together.As he came from Rhyl, North Wales, and we were both Welsh, we immediately clicked! We sang together quite a few times.
We always sent each other Christmas cards until Covid
I shall cherish the photo I have of us dancing together at the R.C.M.College Ball.It was my first ever ball, and I’m wearing the very first evening dress that I purchased ( which I’ve kept all these years)
Many fond memories. May he Rest in Peace.
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- Elizabeth Lane on December 19, 2022 at 5:05 pm
  
  I also was very upset to hear that Stephen had died, only having been in touch for Christmas and his birthday for a number of years. We were at the RCM together at the same time too. I sang Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony at the RCM with Stephen and Bach’s St Matthew Passion many times in Tremeirchion Church, near Rhyl, conducted by Michael Lewis, one of Stephen’s earliest music encouragers. Stephen was a very fine singer and musician.
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Robert on December 15, 2022 at 12:56 am

This is such sad news. He was my singing teacher for twenty years and a phenomenally gifted one, with an unerring ear and a magical way of making problems disappear. He was the most delightful man, a rare example of a supremely talented performer who was more interested in doing justice to the music than in promoting himself.
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Garry Humphreys on December 16, 2022 at 6:27 pm

Very sad news. We worked together often in the 1970s/80s, mostly for Denys Darlow, who gave Stephen many opportunities at the end of his time at the Royal College and the beginning of his professional career. My favourite recording of his is ‘Songs by Finzi and his Friends’ (Hyperion CD 55084), which he shares with Ian Partridge, particularly his wonderful performance of Harry Gill’s ‘In Memoriam’. Gorffwys mewn heddwch, Stephen.
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Peter Roberts on February 17, 2023 at 5:36 pm

My brother Stephen was actually born in Denbigh, our father was also from Denbigh but our mother was born in Cardiff. It was very early in our lives that we moved to Rhyl. He attended Rhyl Grammar School and then moved to London to complete his musical studies.
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