Sherrill Milnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sherrill Milnes
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Sherrill Milnes (right) as Scarpia in Tosca (Festival Puccini, 1997)
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| Born | January 10, 1935 |
| Occupation | Baritone |
Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is a famous American opera singer. He is known for his powerful baritone voice. A baritone is a male singing voice that is lower than a tenor but higher than a bass. Milnes was especially famous for singing roles in operas by Giuseppe Verdi. From 1965 to 1997, he performed often at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. His voice was strong and clear, with a good flow and a lively rhythm.
By 1965, when he was 30, Milnes had his first performance at the Metropolitan Opera. Soon after, he started performing all over the world. He became one of the most important Verdi baritones in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Discovering Sherrill Milnes' Early Life
Milnes was born in Downers Grove, Illinois. His parents were dairy farmers. From a young age, he showed many musical talents. Besides singing, he played the piano, violin, viola, double bass, clarinet, and tuba.
Even though he didn't always plan to be an opera singer, he spent hours singing to his father's cows. Once, he was even found on a tractor practicing an operatic laugh!
In high school, Milnes first thought about becoming an anesthesiologist. But he later returned to music. He studied music education at Drake University and Northwestern University. He wanted to become a teacher.
From 1958 to 1963, he sang in the Chicago Symphony Chorus. He performed several times with the famous conductor Fritz Reiner. After college, he spent a summer at the Santa Fe Opera. This experience made him decide to become an opera singer. He also studied with the famous singer Rosa Ponselle.
In 2006, Milnes received an honorary degree from North Central College.
Sherrill Milnes' Amazing Opera Career
Milnes started his singing career in 1960. He joined the Opera Company of Boston. His first role was Masetto in Don Giovanni. From the very beginning, he was managed by the well-known talent manager Herbert Barrett. In 1961, he performed for the first time at Ponselle's Baltimore Opera. He sang the role of Gérard in Andrea Chénier.
In 1964, Milnes had a big breakthrough. He sang Valentin in Gounod's Faust at the New York City Opera. This was the same role he sang for his first performance at the Metropolitan Opera in 1965. In 1967, he created a new role, Captain Adam Brant, in the opera Mourning Becomes Electra at the Met.
Also in 1964, Milnes performed in Europe for the first time. He sang Figaro from The Barber of Seville in Milan, Italy. But it was his performance as Miller in Verdi's Luisa Miller in 1968 that made him internationally famous. Milnes was the main baritone at the Met during the 1970s. He received great praise for his performances, especially in Verdi operas.
In 1982, Milnes faced serious vocal health problems. It took him some time to recover. In 1984, he sang in the first act of Sergei Rachmaninoff's opera Monna Vanna.
Milnes' talents were not just for the opera stage. In 1971, he was praised for his role as David in the opera And David Wept. This was shown on CBS Television. Earlier, in 1964, he also played Saint Joseph in a TV show of Hector Berlioz's L'enfance du Christ.
In 1982, Milnes received the Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award. In the same year, the Italian government honored him as "Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica."
On July 5, 1986, he performed with the New York Philharmonic orchestra. This was a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. The concert was in Central Park and shown live on TV.
In September 1996, the French government honored Milnes. He received the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. After 32 years and 653 performances, he made his last appearance at the Metropolitan Opera on March 22, 1997. He sang Amonasro in Aida.
In 1998, Milnes wrote a book about his life called American Aria.
Today, Milnes is a professor emeritus of voice at Northwestern University. He has also received Yale University's Sanford Medal. In 2003, he was given the Order of Lincoln. This is the highest honor in the state of Illinois.
Milnes used to live in Cresskill, New Jersey. He now lives in Palm Harbor, Florida with his wife and son, Theo.
VOICExperience Foundation: Helping Young Singers
In 2001, Milnes and his wife, soprano Maria Zouves, started the VOICExperience Foundation. This is a non-profit group that helps educate young singers. It grew from special classes led by Milnes and other famous artists.
The foundation is based in Florida. It offers many educational programs, workshops, and community events. In Florida, they run The Florida VOICE Project for singers in the Tampa Bay Area. In New York City, they have the Opera As Drama program. This is a week-long program for young professional opera singers. It ends with a public performance. As part of the Savannah Voice Festival, the foundation also runs a Teen VOICE workshop and the Milnes VOICE studio.
Images for kids
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Sherrill Milnes (right) as Scarpia in Tosca (Festival Puccini, 1997)
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Sherrill Milnes Receiving Applause from the Audience following His Performance during a State Dinner Honoring Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser of Australia
See also
In Spanish: Sherrill Milnes para niños
