Sudden death of Vienna tenor, 57

The death has been confirmed of Steve Davislim, an Australian tenor of Chinese and Irish origin who lived mostly in Vienna.

Davislim spent the 1990s at the Zurich Opera, limelighting as tenor soloist in David Zinman’s garlanded recording of Beethoven’s 9th. He recorded Mozart with Thielemann, Bach with John Eliot Gardiner and Richard Strauss with Simone Young. Opera roles took him to the Salzburg Festival, Hamburg Opera, Berlin Staatsoper and various stages in Vienna, notably the Volksoper.

No cause of death has been made known officially, but friends report he was suffering from a prolonged illness.

The soprano Laura Aikin writes: ‘the opera community has lost a truly wonderful, kind colleague.’

Søren Schuhmacher writes: ‘Steve, amongst all the colleagues you were one of the nicest and most special ones… Loved you!’ Sunhae Im says: ‘Oh dear Steve!!! It’s so hard to believe… ‘

His Australian management writes: It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of our dear friend and great artist Steve Davislim. Steve was a man of great humanity and keen intellect who possessed a voice of rare beauty and facility. One of Australia’s most successful international artists, Steve was heard around the globe on the stages of the world’s most prestigious opera houses and with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors for over three decades. We are deeply grateful to Simone Young and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, to Richard Mills and Elizabeth Hill-Cooper and Victorian Opera, to Allanah Dopson and the Tasmanian Chamber Music Festival, and to Stefan Cassomenos and the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival for having given us the opportunity to hear him again very recently. A fine artist taken from us too soon but one whose performances we treasure and whose many recordings we will continue to cherish.