Gardiner conducts memorial for Monteverdi Choir singer

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, who was dismissed from the ensembles he founded following a widely reported incident, returned on November 9, 2025, to lead a memorial service in South London for a beloved singer. The deceased, Suzanne Flowers, a cherished member of the Monteverdi Choir, passed away in July 2024.

An eyewitness reported that the memorial service, held in Greenwich, was a deeply moving event. Approximately 50 colleagues from the Monteverdi Choir and some members of the English Baroque Soloists gathered to honor Flowers. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducted a program featuring works by Bach, Brahms, Mozart, and Schubert, among others. The church was filled with expressions of love for Suzanne and shared memories of the joys experienced over decades with the Monteverdi Choir. Sir John Eliot Gardiner, along with Suzanne’s sons, delivered moving tributes. The musical performance was described as astonishing, embodying the prodigious talent that the Monteverdi Choir and Gardiner have contributed to the world for over 50 years.