(Abbott), celebrated English mezzosoprano; b. Hatfield, Yorkshire, Aug. 21, 1933. Baker began singing lessons in London as a teenager. When she was 21 she attended classes at the Mozarteum, in Salzburg, Austria. In 1966 Baker made her American debut with the San Francisco Symphony in GUSTAV MAHLER'S Das Lied von der Erde and presented a solo recital in N.Y., both gaining excellent reviews. Her career was given a substantial boost when she joined BENJAMIN BRITTEN'S English Opera Group; in 1971 she created the role of Kate Julian in Britten's television opera Owen Wingrave. Through the 1970s Baker toured extensively around the world, becoming known as one of her day's greatest opera and LIEDER singers. In 1976 Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She gave her operatic farewell performance in 1982.

Baker was an outstanding artist, her extensive operatic repertoire ranging from CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI and GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL to RICHARD STRAUSS and Britten. She was also one of the great lieder artists of her day, excelling in songs by FRANZ SCHUBERT and ROBERT SCHUMANN.