Mexican soprano Lourdes Ambriz, best known as the singing voice of Belle in the Spanish-language version of Disney’s 1991 film "Beauty and the Beast," has died at 64, the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature announced on social media.
In a translated Facebook post, the institute said, "The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature deeply regrets the passing of soprano Lourdes Ambriz, a key figure in Mexican lyric poetry renowned for her extensive repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, chamber, Renaissance, and contemporary music." The post noted her international career of more than four decades and offered condolences to her family, colleagues and the artistic community.
Ambriz performed across Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East and was a member of the ensemble Cantantes Solistas de Bellas Artes. In 2023 she received the Bellas Artes Medal in Music, the highest distinction awarded by the institute in recognition of a lifetime of achievement in the arts.
Her role as the singing voice of Belle connected her operatic training to popular culture, bringing the character’s songs to Spanish-speaking audiences when Disney released the dubbed version of its animated classic in 1991. The institute’s announcement highlighted the breadth of her repertoire, which included both early music and contemporary compositions as well as standard operatic and oratorio works.
Ambriz maintained a presence on Mexico’s major stages and in international festivals. Colleagues and institutions that recognized her work cited both her technical command and her versatility across genres. The institute’s notice did not provide details on the circumstances of her death.
Her career bridged classical and popular realms at a time when Spanish-language dubbing increasingly brought major studio animated features to broader global audiences. As a member of Mexico’s operatic community, Ambriz also took part in concert work and chamber programs that contributed to the country’s cultural programming and international exchanges.
The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature said it would convey further information about memorial arrangements when available and reiterated its condolences to Ambriz’s family and the artistic community. News outlets reporting on her death noted the 2023 Bellas Artes Medal as a recent public recognition of her contributions to music.