He is a journalist, critic, poet and novelist, well known authority on opera. He was assistant editor of The London Magazine from 1958-1966, director of Literature Arts Council of Great Britain from 1971 to 1986 and chief Theatre Reviews London Daily Telegraph from 1986 to 1991. It belongs to the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity for his outstanding contribution to the works of Verdi. Author of several books on operatic themes (Mozart, Verdi, Wagner) Charles Osborne is a specialist in BBC music and opera critic in the Times of London. It has an honorary doctorate from the Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, for his services to the arts and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was president and a member of council Critics Circle UK.