Leading opera director Graham Vick dies from Covid aged 67

World-renowned British opera director Graham Vick CBE has died from Covid-19 at the age of 67.

The founder of the Birmingham Opera Company passed away due to complications from the disease on Saturday, it is understood.

The opera company said in a statement: 'We are devastated to announce that today July 17, 2021 Sir Graham Vick, Artistic Director, Birmingham Opera Company died of complications arising from Covid-19.' 

The maestro, from Birkenhead, first studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester before embarking on an illustrious career which saw him direct at major companies around the world, from the Royal Opera in London to the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

One of his earliest productions was Gustav Holst's Savitri for the Scottish Opera, where he became the director of productions in 1984 before founding the Birmingham Opera Company in 1987 and becoming its artistic director.  

After making his debut at the Royal Opera in 1989, he went on to direct a string of productions there, including Mitridate, re di Ponto, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, King Arthur, The Midsummer Marriage, The Merry Widow, Falstaff and Tamerlano.

He was also director at the Glyndebourne Opera festival from 1994 to 2000. 

Vick's talents saw him gain notoriety around the world, with his most acclaimed productions including Der Ring des Nibelungen at Lisbon and Palermo, Tristan und Isolde at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Otello at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

He was made a CBE in 2009 for his contribution to opera and was later awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2016.

Other honours included the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Honorary Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham and International Chair of Opera at the RNCM. 

Reference: Laurence Dollimore For Mailonline