When your grandchildren watch Disney's Beauty and the Beast, they're experiencing magic crafted by countless artists across the globe.
One such artist was Lourdes Ambriz, the acclaimed Mexican soprano whose voice brought Belle to life for Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide.
Ambriz died on 28 August 2025 in a Mexico City hospital, aged 67, with media reporting the cause as cancer.
While many know her as the singing voice of Disney's beloved Belle, Ambriz was primarily an internationally renowned opera singer whose crystalline soprano made her one of the most admired figures of the Mexican lyric stage.
Her passing represents the loss of a cultural treasure whose influence extended far beyond the magic kingdom.
In this article
A career spanning four decades
Born in Mexico City on July 20, 1958, Ambriz made her professional debut in 1982 with the Compañía Nacional de Ópera del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, performing as Olympia in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. This marked the beginning of a remarkable journey that would see her grace stages across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.
Ambriz performed with major orchestras including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas and San Francisco symphonies, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada, the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela and the German Deutsche Kammerakademie.
Her repertoire was impressively diverse, spanning from Baroque opera to contemporary works.
'Her crystalline soprano made her one of the most admired figures of the Mexican lyric stage'
The Belle that enchanted Latin America
In 1990, Ambriz dubbed the songs from Disney's Beauty and the Beast as the voice of the character Belle. This role would bring her fame far beyond the opera house, introducing her voice to millions of families across Spanish-speaking countries.
The timing was significant. Belle holds the distinction of being Disney's first feminist princess, and some reporters believe her characterisation as one of Disney's first proactive princesses helped revolutionise how princess characters would be depicted in animation. For Latin American audiences, Ambriz's voice became the soundtrack to this groundbreaking character.
Belle's cultural impact
Beauty and the Beast was groundbreaking as the first animated film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
Belle represented a new type of Disney heroine—intelligent, book-loving, and independent.
For Spanish-speaking audiences, Lourdes Ambriz's voice gave life to this revolutionary character, making her an integral part of Disney history.
A champion of contemporary opera
Beyond her Disney fame, Ambriz championed contemporary opera, premiering pieces by Mario Lavista (Aura), Víctor Rasgado (El coyote y el conejo, Paso del Norte), Roberto Morales (Dunaxii), Manuel Henríquez Romero (Malinalli), and Hilda Paredes (The Seventh Seed). In 2010 she performed as Eupaforice in Carl Heinrich Graun's Montezuma, a rare staging that travelled to Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Mexico.
Her commitment to her craft extended to education and leadership. She was a leading singer of the national Ópera de Bellas Artes de México, and became the company's artistic director in 2017. She also taught singing, nurturing the next generation of Mexican opera talent.
Recognition and legacy
Ambriz's career earned her numerous accolades: the National Youth Award in 1987, the Mozart Medal in 2006, the Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Medal in 2023, and the Bellas Artes Medal in 2024, one of Mexico's highest artistic honours.
Lourdes Ambriz's lasting contributions
- Over 40 years performing internationally in opera houses and concert halls
- Voice of Belle in Disney's Spanish version of Beauty and the Beast
- Artistic director of Mexico's national opera company
- Champion of contemporary Mexican composers
- Recipient of Mexico's highest artistic honour, the Bellas Artes Medal
The magic of international dubbing
Ambriz's Disney work highlights something many don't consider: the intricate process of bringing animated films to global audiences. The Spanish dubbing was recorded in February 1992, involving careful coordination to match the animation while preserving the emotional impact of the songs.
For countless families, these international voice artists become the definitive voices of beloved characters. Children in Mexico, Spain, and across Latin America know Belle's voice as Lourdes Ambriz's voice, making her an integral part of their childhood memories.
A tribute to artistry
Flautist Horacio Franco, her friend and collaborator, expressed his dismay: 'I am in shock. Everyone is. We knew she was delicate, but still her death took us by surprise. Lourdes was at a very important moment of her creative life, she had a lot to give and to share. It is one of those deaths that are premature because she was in full cusp.'
The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes paid tribute, noting she was 'a key figure in Mexican lyric poetry, renowned for her extensive repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, chamber, Renaissance, and contemporary music. With an international career spanning more than four decades, she performed on stages in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.'
Lourdes Ambriz leaves behind a remarkable legacy that bridges popular culture and high art. She proved that talent knows no boundaries, bringing the same artistry to Disney's magic kingdom as she did to the world's most prestigious opera houses.
Her voice will continue to enchant new generations of Spanish-speaking children discovering Beauty and the Beast, while her contributions to opera ensure her place in Mexico's cultural history.
What are your thoughts on the artists who bring beloved characters to life in different languages? Have you discovered how different the same films can feel with different voice actors? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Original Article
https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...d652db92363c263e99d64298747ab0?from=rss-basic
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: Lourdes Ambriz Márquez (20 July 1958—28 August 2025) was a Mexican operatic soprano and opera manager.
Excerpt: Ambriz died on 28 August 2025 in a Mexico City hospital, aged 67, with media reporting the cause as cancer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: Ambriz died on 28 August 2025 in a Mexico City hospital, aged 67. Media reported the cause as cancer.
Excerpt: Ambriz died on 28 August 2025 in a Mexico City hospital, aged 67, with media reporting the cause as cancer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: She appeared internationally, in a wide repertoire from Baroque opera to world premieres, with a focus on Mozart roles.
Excerpt: Ambriz was primarily an internationally renowned opera singer whose crystalline soprano made her one of the most admired figures of the Mexican lyric stage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz, Famed Mexican Soprano and Voice of 'Beauty and the Beast's Belle, Dies at 67
Cited text: From that moment, her crystalline soprano made her one of the most admired figures of the Mexican lyric stage.
Excerpt: Ambriz was primarily an internationally renowned opera singer whose crystalline soprano made her one of the most admired figures of the Mexican lyric stage.
https://www.latintimes.com/lourdes-...rano-voice-beauty-beasts-belle-dies-67-589017
Lourdes Ambriz, Famed Mexican Soprano and Voice of 'Beauty and the Beast's Belle, Dies at 67
Cited text: ... Kenia OS Premieres Documentary in the United States, Declares 'My Aura Is Princess, Queen Mother, Queen Potra' - INTERVIEW · Born in Mexico City o...
Excerpt: Born in Mexico City on July 20, 1958, Ambriz made her professional debut in 1982 with the Compañía Nacional de Ópera del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, performing as Olympia in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann.
https://www.latintimes.com/lourdes-...rano-voice-beauty-beasts-belle-dies-67-589017
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: Ambriz performed with a number of the orchestras in Mexico and also sang with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, the San Francisco...
Excerpt: Ambriz performed with major orchestras including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas and San Francisco symphonies, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada, the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela and the German Deutsche…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: The same year she dubbed the songs from Disney's Beauty and the Beast as the voice of the character Belle.
Excerpt: In 1990, Ambriz dubbed the songs from Disney's Beauty and the Beast as the voice of the character Belle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Belle (Disney character) - Wikipedia
Cited text: According to journalists for Time and Harper's Bazaar, the character holds the distinction of being Disney's first feminist princess. Some reporters b...
Excerpt: Belle holds the distinction of being Disney's first feminist princess, and some reporters believe her characterisation as one of Disney's first proactive princesses helped revolutionise how princess characters would be depicted in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_(Disney_character)
Lourdes Ambriz, Famed Mexican Soprano and Voice of 'Beauty and the Beast's Belle, Dies at 67
Cited text: Her artistic restlessness led her to champion contemporary opera, premiering pieces by Mario Lavista (Aura), Víctor Rasgado (El coyote y el conejo, Pa...
Excerpt: Ambriz championed contemporary opera, premiering pieces by Mario Lavista (Aura), Víctor Rasgado (El coyote y el conejo, Paso del Norte), Roberto Morales (Dunaxii), Manuel Henríquez Romero (Malinalli), and Hilda Paredes (The Seventh Seed).
https://www.latintimes.com/lourdes-...rano-voice-beauty-beasts-belle-dies-67-589017
Lourdes Ambriz, Famed Mexican Soprano and Voice of 'Beauty and the Beast's Belle, Dies at 67
Cited text: In 2010 she performed as Eupaforice in Carl Heinrich Graun's Montezuma, a rare staging that traveled to Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Mexico.
Excerpt: In 2010 she performed as Eupaforice in Carl Heinrich Graun's Montezuma, a rare staging that travelled to Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Mexico.
https://www.latintimes.com/lourdes-...rano-voice-beauty-beasts-belle-dies-67-589017
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: She was a leading singer of the national Ópera de Bellas Artes de México, and became the company's artistic director in 2017.
Excerpt: She was a leading singer of the national Ópera de Bellas Artes de México, and became the company's artistic director in 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz—Wikipedia
Cited text: She was a leading singer of the national Ópera de Bellas Artes de México, and became the company's artistic director in 2017.
Excerpt: She was a leading singer of the national Ópera de Bellas Artes de México, and became the company's artistic director in 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Ambriz
Lourdes Ambriz, Famed Mexican Soprano and Voice of 'Beauty and the Beast's Belle, Dies at 67
Cited text: Her career earned her the National Youth Award in 1987, the Mozart Medal in 2006, the Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Medal in 2023, and the Bellas Artes Medal i...
Excerpt: Ambriz's career earned her numerous accolades: the National Youth Award in 1987, the Mozart Medal in 2006, the Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Medal in 2023, and the Bellas Artes Medal in 2024, one of Mexico's highest artistic honours.
https://www.latintimes.com/lourdes-...rano-voice-beauty-beasts-belle-dies-67-589017
La bella y la bestia / Beauty and the Beast Latin Spanish Voice Cast—WILLDUBGURU
Cited text: The dubbing was recorded in February 1992.
Excerpt: The Spanish dubbing was recorded in February 1992
https://www.non-disneyinternational...y-and-the-beast-latin-spanish-voice-cast.html
Soprano Lourdes Ambriz died, an essential figure of lyrical art in Mexico—The Observatorial
Cited text: For his part, the flutist Horacio Franco, also his friend and collaborator in artistic projects, expressed his dismay: “I am in shock, Everyone is. We...
Excerpt: Flautist Horacio Franco, her friend and collaborator, expressed his dismay: 'I am in shock.
https://observatorial.com/news/ente...an-essential-figure-of-lyrical-art-in-mexico/
Disney star Lourdes Ambriz, voice of Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ dies at 64
Cited text: The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes paid tribute to Lourdes on Facebook and (in a translated post) wrote: “The National Institute of Fine Arts and ...
Excerpt: The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes paid tribute, noting she was 'a key figure in Mexican lyric poetry, renowned for her extensive repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, chamber, Renaissance, and contemporary music.
https://www.nationalworld.com/cultu...of-belle-in-beauty-and-the-beast-dies-5307203
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Condolences to her loved ones