Matthew Best (conductor)

Matthew Robert Best (6 February 1957 – 10 May 2025) was an English bass singer, choral conductor, composer and academic. He had a long career as a singer at major opera houses of the United Kingdom including the Royal Opera House and the English National Opera, performing lead roles such as Wotan in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Best was recognised internationally as conductor of vocal music performed with his ensemble Corydon Singers which he founded at age 16; their recordings of works by Anton Bruckner have been regarded as excellent and earned awards. He taught voice at the Royal Northern College of Music from 2015 until 2024.