English Singer and Conductor Matthew Best has Died, Aged 68

Best was an opera singer for over 35 years and worked as a choral and orchestral conductor across the UK and Europe

Born in 1957, Matthew Best studied as a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, and at the National Opera Studio. In 1973, at the age of 16, he founded the Corydon Singers. 

Almost 20 years later, he formed the Corydon Orchestra, which went on to make over thirty acclaimed recordings on Hyperion. 

In 1980, Best made his professional debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as a company bass. He later performed nearly 100 operatic roles in over 100 cities worldwide. 

He was a regular guest artist for all the major UK opera houses, singing the roles of Wotan in the complete Wagner Ring Cycle, The Flying Dutchman, King Mark, Amfortas, Kurwenal, King Heinrich, Scarpia, and Jochanaan, and premiering new works by Jonathan Harvey, Julian Anderson, and Kaija Saariaho. 

In 1979, he conducted the premiere of his operetta Alice (based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland) in Cambridge. He also made guest appearances with the English Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, City of London Sinfonia, and BBC Singers.

In 2015, he joined the Royal Northern College of Music as a Professor of Vocal Studies, remaining in post until August 2024. 

He led his final performance in March 2025, conducting the Academy Choir and London Mozart Players. The following month, he was presented with a Fellowship of the RNCM in acknowledgement of his distinguished career. 

“Matthew was an exceptionally inspirational teacher and musician, and it was a huge privilege to have him on our team,” RNCM Head of Vocal Studies and Opera Lynne Dawson said in a tribute. “He is greatly missed by our staff and students, and our thoughts remain with his family at this very sad time.”

“Matthew was one of the finest basses of his generation and an intuitive musician and interpreter of many of the major roles in the bass repertoire,” Intermusica’s Director, Vocal & Opera Julia Maynard said. “He was a warm, funny, utterly engaging artist, teacher, friend, and a much loved parent, grandfather and husband. Our thoughts are with his most treasured family.”

Our condolences to Mr. Best’s family, friends, students, and colleagues.