Jeffrey Lawton


Jeffrey Lawton, FRNCM, was a tenor best known as an international opera singer. He began his career as a student at the Royal Manchester College of Music and from 1982 to 1987 was principal tenor with the Welsh National Opera Company. Lawton also sang with Opera North and the Scottish Opera. On one occasion in 1990 he substituted for the ill Plácido Domingo in the role of Otello at the Royal Opera, London under Carlos Kleiber. As well as singing at various British festivals and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, other pursuits included president of the Wagner Society Manchester and patron of the Oldham Choral Society. Lawton was a tutor and a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music.

Selected performances

Welsh National Opera

Otello - Otello, 1986 The Trojans - Aeneas, 1987 Die Frau ohne Schatten - The Emperor, 1989 Tristan und Isolde - Tristan, 1993

Opera North

Wozzeck - Captain, 1993 Tannhäuser - Tannhäuser, 1997 Der Kuhhandel - President Mendez, 2006

Scottish Opera

The Greek Passion - Panait Katerina's lover, 1990 Tristan und Isolde - Tristan a Cornish knight, 1994 & 1998Inés de Castro - Pedro Crown Prince of Portugal, 1996 Peter Grimes - Peter Grimes a fisherman, 1997Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Balthasar Zorn a pewterer, 2006

Royal Opera House

Der Ring des Nibelungen, Siegfried - Siegfried, 1986 Otello - Otello, 1990 Elektra - Aegisth, 1994

Film appearances

Othello TV film, Production company BBC, Broadcaster ZDF, 1985 After Moscow, Production company Euston Films, 1983