SANTA MONICA, Calif: Grammy-nominated baritone Jubilant Sykes was fatally stabbed at his Santa Monica home, authorities confirmed, as his son was arrested in connection with the killing.
Santa Monica police said officers responded late Monday to a 911 call reporting a violent disturbance at a residence in the coastal city near Los Angeles. Upon arrival, they discovered 71-year-old Sykes suffering from multiple stab wounds. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
Grammy-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed to death inside a Southern California home on Monday, and the 71-year-old’s son has been arrested in connection with the killing, police said. https://t.co/B5u4dfmaxe pic.twitter.com/Na7NWmxLZw
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The victim’s 31-year-old son, Micah Sykes, was found at the home and taken into custody without incident on suspicion of murder. Police have not disclosed whether the suspect has legal representation.
Investigators recovered a weapon from the scene and said the case remains under active investigation.
Jubilant Sykes was a respected figure in the classical and contemporary music worlds. He received a Grammy nomination in 2010 for Best Classical Album for his acclaimed role as the Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass.
He also performed with the Metropolitan Opera in the 1990 production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, portraying the character Jake.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sykes built a reputation as a dynamic and versatile vocalist. The New York Times once praised his charismatic presence in its 2008 review of Mass.
In a past NPR interview, Sykes described singing as inseparable from his identity, noting that music was both his passion and purpose.
