Sad news: Key ENO figure dies
mainI am very sorry to report the death of John McMurray, after a two-year struggle with a brain tumour.
John was Head of Casting at English National Opera from 2006 to 2015. After that he became Senior Artistic Advisor for two years.
I knew him back in the 1980s when he was editor of Classical Music magazine. We connected later on at ENO and when he popped up as an occasionally waspish fact checker in the Comments section of Slipped Disc.
He was a good man, one who knew good from bad in both the aesthetic and moral sense and tried his best to cleave to the good.
I am grieved by his death and send condolences to Amanda.
John McMurray (r)
John came to IMG Artists in 1998 in the wake of the premature death of Diana Mulgan, While at IMG John looked after many fine artists including Jerry Hadley, Marie McLaughlin, David Rendall, Stafford Dean and Diana Montigue and many others. John was serious, knowledgeable and completely familiar with all aspects of the music world. He was respected both inside IMG and throughout the music business and always gave honest advice. John’s death is a great loss.