James Lockhart

Born: October 16, 1930;

Died: February 26, 2025

The conductor James Lockhart, who has died aged 94, had a distinguished career leading many orchestras, particularly in Germany and became much respected for his invigorating conducting and musicianship in both opera houses and concert halls. He was also a gifted pianist in recitals and, significantly, when Lockhart appeared on Desert Island Discs he chose as his luxury item a grand piano.

But his appearances in Scotland were relatively few. He conducted a performance of Madama Butterfly in Scottish Opera’s opening season in 1962 and in 1971 he accompanied the soprano Margaret Price at an Edinburgh Festival morning concert of Italian songs in the Freemason’s Hall.

James Lawrence Lockhart was born in Edinburgh, the son of Archibald Lockhart, an inspector of weights and measures, and his wife, Mary (née Lawrence) a teacher. He attended George Watson’s College and read music at Edinburgh University.

While there he was assistant organist and choir master at St Giles Cathedral. He emerged from a late-night practice session in the Kirk to be pounced on by detectives lying in wait, who thought he might somehow be involved in the theft of the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey. He much enjoyed telling the story for the rest of his life.

He then studied at the Royal College of Music where he met Sheila Grogan, a cello student, whom he married in 1954. The following year he concentrated on opera and worked on the music staff in Munster, Munich and Glyndebourne.

While at the latter he made his debut conducting The Marriage of Figaro at Sadler’s Wells Opera and by 1957 he was appointed to the music staff of the Royal Opera. He made an important conducting debut with the company in 1965 conducting a revival of La Boheme with Mirella Freni as Mimi.

In the summer of 1967, he gave the world premiere of Walton’s one-act opera The Bear at Aldeburgh. He recorded the work and conducted it in London and to Montreal’s Expo 67. Doubled up with The Bear was Handel’s Acis and Galatea sung by Margaret Price and Robert Tear.

He then spent years in smaller German opera houses gaining invaluable experience. At Kassel Opera in the 1970s where he was appointed musical director – the first British-born person to hold such a position in a German opera house – he proved adventurous and inspiring.

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He scheduled such challenging works as Wagner’s mighty Ring Cycle and the totally unknown – and first German production of – Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeoman of the Guard and such lesser-known operas as Death in Venice, Kátya Kabanova and Wozzeck.

Lockhart regularly appeared at English National Opera where in the 1970s he conducted important revivals of Rigoletto, La Boheme and War and Peace. In 1983 he conducted a new production of Tosca with the Glasgow-born soprano Linda Esther Gray in the title role. In her autobiography (A Life Behind Curtains), she was full of praise for Lockhart’s conducting: “James Lockhart, who is also Scottish, has a wonderful feeling for the voice. I really like him, feel comfortable following his instructions and am enjoying the rehearsals very much.”

Lockhart had first met the soprano Margaret Price when he played at her first audition in front of Georg Solti at Covent Garden. They became firm friends and he was to enjoy a close personal and working relationship with her throughout her career. He coached and supported her especially when he was musical director at Welsh National Opera from 1968 to 1974.

It was those years at WNO that highlighted Lockhart’s skills as a musician and administrator. His sheer ability to discover new talent and mount superb innovative productions of challenging works advanced the company into the major league of opera companies.

(Image: The Stone of Destiny)

At WNO he conducted the first British staging of Berg’s opera Lulu in 1971, brought world-class singers to Wales (Tito Gobbi and Geraint Evans) and promoted new young talents such as Margaret Price in The Magic Flute and Thomas Allen in the title role of Britten’s Billy Budd. Other outstanding productions included Boris Godunov, Nabucco and Otello. All were rehearsed with Lockhart’s exacting care and attention and were given in vibrant new productions.

Much of Lockhart’s considerable energy was devoted to coaching and accompanying singers. He was a committed mentor to many singers, particularly Price. This was evidenced in 1980 when the demanding maestro Carlos Kleiber asked Price to record the mighty role of Isolde in Tristan und Isolde. She initially said no but Lockhart made her reconsider. She wrote later, “I went to James and he taught me the role and all its complexities. Kleiber was well pleased.”

Lockhart had a dry sense of humour with a generous and kindly spirit. He was keen to keep fit and when he was in Scotland often walked the moors.

He retired to Shaftesbury in Dorset. His wife and a daughter survive him.

ALASDAIR STEVEN

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