Renowned Mexican soprano Lourdes Ambriz, who provided the singing voice of Belle in Disney’s 1991 Spanish-language version of “Beauty and the Beast,” died on August 28 at age 67 following a battle with cancer.
The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature announced Ambriz’s death on its social media accounts last month, expressing deep regret at the loss of a key figure in Mexican lyric poetry. The announcement noted that Ambriz was renowned for her extensive repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, chamber, Renaissance, and contemporary music.
Born in Mexico City on July 20, 1958, Ambriz launched her professional career in 1982 with the Compañía Nacional de Ópera del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. She made her stage debut as Olympia in Jacques Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann.”
Ambriz’s role as Belle’s singing voice in the Spanish version of “Beauty and the Beast” brought her widespread recognition across Latin America. While Diana Santos provided Belle’s speaking lines, Ambriz performed the character’s songs alongside Arturo Mercado and Walterio Pesqueira, who voiced the Beast.
Throughout her career spanning more than four decades, Ambriz performed on stages across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. She was a soloist with prestigious orchestras including the Dallas and San Francisco symphonies, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada, the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela, the Deutsche Kammerakademie, and the Prague Opera. She also performed with the Arditti Quartet.
In 1991, the same year as her Disney role, Ambriz debuted in Spain at the Málaga Opera as Marina in Emilio Arrieta’s production. Two years later, she represented Mexico at the 1993 Europalia Festival in Brussels and toured with the music ensemble Ars Nova.
Ambriz championed contemporary opera throughout her career, premiering works by Mexican composers including Mario Lavista’s “Aura,” Víctor Rasgado’s “El coyote y el conejo” and “Paso del Norte,” Roberto Morales’ “Dunaxii,” Manuel Henríquez Romero’s “Malinalli,” and Hilda Paredes’ “The Seventh Seed.” In 2010, she performed as Eupaforice in Carl Heinrich Graun’s “Montezuma,” a production that traveled to Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Mexico.
Beyond performing, Ambriz dedicated herself to arts education and administration. She taught singing at the School of Fine Arts at the Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. In 2014, she became artistic deputy director of Mexico’s Compañía Nacional de Ópera, and from 2015 to 2017 served as artistic director of the Bellas Artes Opera.
Her contributions to music earned numerous accolades throughout her career. Ambriz received the National Youth Award in 1987 and the Mozart Medal in 2006. In 2023, she was honored with both the Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Medal and the prestigious Bellas Artes Medal in Music, the highest distinction awarded by the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature.
The Institute described Ambriz as a member of the artistic group Cantantes Solistas de Bellas Artes and recognized her international career that spanned multiple continents. According to the official statement, “We express our deepest condolences to her family, colleagues, and the artistic community for this irreparable loss.”
While local media reported that Ambriz died from cancer, her official cause of death was not immediately confirmed. The soprano passed away at a hospital in Mexico City, concluding a remarkable career that bridged classical opera and popular culture through her work with Disney.
Ambriz’s legacy extends beyond her Disney role to encompass a comprehensive contribution to Mexican and international opera. Her crystalline soprano voice and dedication to promoting contemporary Mexican composers helped establish her as one of the most admired figures in the Mexican lyric stage, while her administrative roles advanced opportunities for other Mexican artists on the world stage.
