Stuart Burrows

James Stuart Burrows (7 February 1933 – 29 June 2025) was a Welsh operatic tenor. Adept at oratorios and operas, he earned international recognition and the nickname "King of Mozart" for his focus on Mozart operas. He performed regularly at the Royal Opera House in London from 1967 for 22 years and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1971 for 12 years. Burrows featured in a BBC television series in the 1980s called Stuart Burrows Sings.

Life and career

James Stuart Burrows was born on 7 February 1933, the second of the three children of Albert Burrows and Gladys (née Powell), at 19 William Street in Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd in South Wales. As a boy, he had a soprano voice and sang from his bedroom window to neighbours on the street below. His first solo performance, at age 10, was in a Christmas concert and he became known for his performances at his local chapel.

He appeared at the San Francisco Opera first in 1967, as Tamino, which was also his first role at the Vienna State Opera in 1970. He performed as Don Ottavio at the 1970 Salzburg Festival, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.

He made his debut at La Scala in Milan in 1978 in the title role of Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust. His performances included Don Ottavio at La Monnaie in Brussels and at the San Diego Opera, Gounod's Faust at La Scala, Belmonte at the Paris Opéra, the title role in Les contes d'Hoffmann at the Cologne Opera and the La Monnaie. He sang in Mozart's Requiem at the Cardiff Festival of Choirs. His performances in Mozart roles earned him the title of a "King of Mozart".

Burrows made television appearances in Australia, North America and Europe, He was described by protégé Aled Jones as "the greatest lyric tenor of his generation".

Recordings Lensky in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, with Georg Solti; used as the score to Petr Weigl's film of the opera