Opera Singer Jubilant Sykes Fatally Stabbed in Santa Monica Home
Grammy-nominated baritone Jubilant Sykes, celebrated for his rich voice and wide-ranging performances across some of the world’s most prestigious stages, was fatally stabbed Monday night inside his Santa Monica home. His son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, was taken into custody at the scene and is expected to be booked for homicide, according to police.
Authorities responded around 9:20 p.m. after a 911 call reporting an assault in progress. Santa Monica Police said the caller was Sykes’s wife, Cecelia, who directed officers inside the residence. There, they found the 71-year-old singer suffering from critical stab wounds. Paramedics with the Santa Monica Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene.
Police said Micah Sykes was found inside the home and detained without incident. A weapon was recovered, though investigators did not immediately release details about it. According to Lt. Lewis Gilmour, family members told officers that the younger Sykes has a history of mental illness, though investigators have not determined whether it played a role in the attack.
“This is believed to be a family tragedy that took place inside the home,” Gilmour said, adding that the incident appears isolated and poses no ongoing threat to the public. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in the coming days.
A Distinguished Career
Jubilant Sykes was widely admired in the classical music world for a career that blended opera, jazz, and spiritual music. He performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. His work as the Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass was especially celebrated; a 2009 recording with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra earned a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album.
He performed on major stages including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Barbican Centre, and appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990 in the role of Jake in Porgy and Bess. Critics often praised the emotional range of his work, with former New York Times chief classical critic Anthony Tommasini once naming Sykes’s performance in Mass his favorite version of the Bernstein masterpiece.
Sykes spoke openly about the challenges and joys of his craft over the years. In a 1998 radio interview, he described a complex relationship with singing: “I like singing, but I’m human, and there are moments when I don’t like what I do. I am the first to know when it’s right, and when it’s not the way it should be.”
His management company, ACM 360 Artists, offered condolences Tuesday, saying the singer would be “greatly missed” and calling his voice “art at its highest expression.”
An Unexpected and Tragic Loss
Born in Los Angeles and educated at California State University, Fullerton, Sykes originally had no plans to pursue opera until experiencing his first opera performance as a student. That moment, he later said, changed the course of his life. He went on to build a decades-long career defined by versatility, emotional honesty, and a distinctive, resonant baritone.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain under active investigation. Police have not released information about any events that may have preceded the stabbing. Court records show that the suspect is being held without bail.
For now, the classical music world is mourning the sudden loss of a singular voice—one whose performances touched millions and whose artistry spanned genres and generations.
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