A much sought-after operatic vocal coach has died.

German tenor Jonas Kaufmann is one of the stars trained by coach and singer Michael Rhodes.

Rhodes died on Sunday at the age of 89.

Rhodes was an American baritone who began his professional singing career in 1947 at New York City Opera.

He moved to Europe in 1951 and took guest roles at the Opera National in Paris and Milan’s La Scala.

In the same year he became the first American after the Second World War to sing at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper.