The English tenor Philip Langridge has died at the age of 70. The cause of death has not been announced, but Langridge continued performing until the end of his life and had been booked for future engagements up until 2013 at houses including Covent Garden (for the premiere of Anna Nicole by Mark Anthony Turnage), Glyndebourne, La Scala and the Teatro Real, Madrid.

Langridge began his musical career as an orchestral violinist before moving to the opera stage. His voice has often been compared with that of Peter Pears, whom he succeeded as the leading exponent of Benjamin Britten’s tenor roles. His international career spanned repertoire from Monteverdi to the present day and saw him appear in leading houses around the world. He was also well known as a recitalist, and gave a recital performance at the Wigmore Hall last November to mark his 70th birthday.

In 1994, Langridge was made a CBE for services to music, and was also the recipient of numerous awards including an Olivier and the Singer of the Year Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society. He is survived by his wife, the Welsh mezzo-soprano Ann Murray, and four children, three of whom from a previous marriage.