Sarah Leonard dead at 71: The soprano sang the theme tune to Silent Witness called ‘Silencium’

Soprano Sarah Jane Leonard, who has passed away at 71, was born on April 10, 1953 in Winchester. According to Opera Wire, “In 1989, she made her Teatro alla Scala debut in 1989 in the premiere of Manzoni’s “Dr Faustus.” She was also known for her performances of contemporary works such as Helmut Lachenmann, Harrison Birtwistle, Pierre Boulez, and Michael Nyman. Leonard went on to sing the theme to “Silent Witness” called “Silencium” by composer John Harle and was featured on the 2014 album, “The Tyburn Tree (Dark London),” by John Harle and Marc Almond.”

Sarah Leonard got her first taste for music at the age of eight when she started to play the violin at school, followed by the piano a year later. After studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she sang with the BBC Singers for five years. 

When it came to her personal life, she had two children, Edward and Helen with her first husband Michael Parkinson. Sarah Leonard is survived by her second husband Peter Kelly, an IT consultant, the couple wed in 2011. 

According to the biography on Sarah Leonard’s website, “Sarah also loves British and American song and has many recordings of English Song in her 35 + discography. She is also known for being the soaring voice in the title music of the long-running BBC series Silent Witness. Along the way there have been many oratorio and song recital performances, and these continue to the present day.”

Sarah Leonard passed away from a brain tumour on October 31, 2024.