Celia Lobo | Photo credit: @ashley.lobo/Instagram
Vocal coach and musical theater director Celia Lobo died after a long illness, her family said Thursday. She was 87.
Celia passed away at her home on Tuesday morning in the presence of her family, including her son and renowned choreographer Ashley Lobo.
Ashley is known for his work in Imtiaz Ali’s films. When we met, Love Aaj KalAnd Spectaclewrote an emotional note on Instagram in memory of his mother.
Believed to be India’s only opera singer, Celia also has daughters Deirdre Lobo, who is a vocal coach, and Caroline Vincent, who is a philanthropist.
Born in 1937, the artist was raised in a musical family called Baptista, steeped in opera traditions. In the 1960s, she joined the Bombay Madrigal Singers Organisation (BMSO), which staged operas in Mumbai.
He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and worked with the BMSO on his return to India.
At the BMSO, Celia sang the lead female role in Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca”, Gaetano Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor”, Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” and “Rigoletto”, and Vincenzo Bellini’s “Norma”.
After the closure of BMSO, Celia ventured into writing, directing and vocal training. Singers Sunidhi Chauhan, Shweta Shetty, Sunitha Rao, Neeti Mohan as well as choreographer Shiamak Davar are some of her best students.
He has also directed plays and musicals and has performed concerts in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
In addition to being an accomplished musician, Celia also worked as a corporate executive.
