Sudden death of a British bass-baritone, 59
RIPThe British opera world has been saddened by news of the death of Keel Watson, a favourite for 25 years at Welsh National Opera and other UK companies. He also sang at Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Greek National Opera, Teatro Massimo di Palermo and Opéra de Lyon.
He was last heard two weeks ago singing Private Willis in Iolanthe at English National Opera.
Stephen Langridge, Glyndebourne’s artistic director, writes:
Like many in our community, I am feeling profoundly shocked and saddened to learn that Keel Watson is gone.
We all have our own memories. For me it began in the Ealing Youth Orchestra in our teens, him on trombone, me on horn, and continued sporadically over the years. What a range of styles he could muster: we did an intense new opera by Andrew Toovey, and then he was Papageno in a Magic Flute we did in Northern Ireland. I even sang Spoletta to his Scarpia (Ealing Youth Orchestra again, conducted by our friend Mark Gooding – I was poor, he was fabulous). Later, I was proud to know that he was often working with Graham Vick – who I know loved and respected him – and saw the Aida they did in Bregenz. But somehow, whenever we met up (not often enough) we immediately reverted to behaving like teenage brass players (probably a nightmare for everyone else in rehearsal with us).
Deep condolences to his family, and a massive virtual group hug with everyone who knew and loved him.
Stephen Maddock, director of the Birmingham Conservatoire, writes:
I am very saddened to learn such news.
I worked only once with Keel – on the revival of a fabulous Graham Vick production of Tannhäuser in Athens in January 2009, which had originally been staged in San Francisco. Keel sang Reinmar von Zweter and I was Landgraf Hermann. Keel later he stayed with me whilst I was resident in Luzern before starting rehearsals for another Vick production, as Il re d’Egitto in Verdi’s Aida, about which he was very excited as he had, until then, performed little outside of the UK.
I was thrilled for him at the success of his performances as Wotan in an off-scene production of Wagner’s Die Walküre in London in more recent times.
I appreciate that Keel had severe health problems due to his physical size but he had a heart of gold, wicked sense of humour, and a fabulous voice.
Keel was a versatile singer, if much under-rated and under-used as a musician and an artist. The late Sir Graham Vick was, rightly, greatly enamoured of Keel and endeavoured to cast him wherever possible, notably and with great success as Iago in Verdi’s Otello in Birmingham.
Requiescat in pace, dear Keel.
I was greatly saddened to learn that Keel had passed away. He grew up in Hounslow and was always to be seen participating at different secondary school concerts either singing or performing on the trombone.
He had a very special talent and will be greatly missed.
May his memory be for a blessing.
Keel….your silence will always be felt. You came, you saw, you conquered. Adieu, Bass-Baritone.
A wonderful man. I knew him so long ago that he still played the trombone. RIP.
A reminder – if one was needed – that life is very brief indeed and we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff.
So sad to hear about Keel. We had been friends for 23 years and we met up on October 22nd after a performance of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony in Birmingham Town Hall, in which he was the bass soloist. We spent a good half-hour talking outside the Town Hall after the concert, to catch up with each other’s news. He was so happy to tell me that he and his partner had had a little boy, Bjørn, only 3 months ago.
So, so sad. Keel will be greatly missed.