[2] Lewis began singing with the Royal Opera in 1947, initially in minor roles.
In 1950 he took over the role of Herr von Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier at 48 hours' notice and to great success.
[4] Lewis also appeared with the English Opera Group both on tour to Europe and at the Aldeburgh Festival singing the roles of Junius in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia (1954, 1959) and Pontius Pilate in Heinrich Schütz's St John Passion (1954).
Lewis died of cancer in St Bartholomew's Hospital, London at the age of 51.
One of his last stage appearances was in July 1967 when he once again sang the role of Herr von Faninal at the Royal Opera House in a special gala performance of Act 2 of Der Rosenkavalier conducted by Georg Solti.