American baritone, soloist at the Metropolitan Opera, one of the greatest performers of Verdi's repertoire in the 1970s and 1980s.
Born in 1935 into a family of farming enthusiasts of music in the village of Downers Grove, Illinois. From childhood, he showed musical abilities, playing piano, violin, clarinet, and other instruments, performing with his brother and mother at local gatherings. He began studying voice in high school and enrolled at Drake University in Iowa. After graduating from university, from 1958 to 1963, he worked in the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Boris Goldovsky's touring opera company. In 1964, he made a name for himself at the New York City Opera with a successful performance as Valentin in Gounod's "Faust", and in the same role he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1965; the role of Marguerite was sung by Montserrat Caballé.
Leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera for 32 years, during which he performed over 650 performances. Milnes's repertoire at the Met consisted mainly of Italian and French roles: Count di Luna ("Il Trovatore"), Renato ("Un Ballo in Maschera"), Amonasro ("Aida"), Don Carlos ("La Forza del Destino"), Germont ("La Traviata"), Carlos ("Ernani"), Iago ("Otello"), Montfort ("Les Vêpres Siciliennes"), the title roles in "Rigoletto", "Macbeth", "Simon Boccanegra", and "Don Giovanni", Gérard ("Andrea Chénier"), Scarpia ("Tosca"), Jack Rance ("La Fanciulla del West"), Barnaba ("La Gioconda" by Ponchielli), Richard Ford ("I Puritani" by Bellini), Athanaël ("Thaïs" by Massenet), and others.
In 1967, he participated in the world premiere of Marvin David Levy's opera "Mourning Becomes Electra" (role of Adam). The singer gained worldwide fame with his brilliant performance as Miller in "Luisa Miller" in 1968, with Montserrat Caballé as Luisa. He also frequently performed at the New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Chicago Opera, and other major American theatres.
Milnes's European debut took place in 1964 at Milan's Teatro Nuovo, where he performed the role of Figaro ("The Barber of Seville"). Subsequently, he performed on all major European stages, including the Paris National Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, La Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bavarian State Opera, and the Salzburg Festival. In 1989, he performed on the stage of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre as Scarpia ("Tosca").
In 1982 and 1984, Milnes underwent two vocal cord surgeries but successfully returned to the Metropolitan Opera stage as Carlos ("Ernani"); a video recording of this performance exists (Ernani – Luciano Pavarotti, Elvira – Leona Mitchell).
In addition to his Metropolitan Opera repertoire, Milnes performed the roles of Michele ("Il Tabarro" by Puccini), Guglielmo ("Così fan tutte"), Jochanaan ("Salome"), Aetius ("Attila" by Verdi), the Earl of Westmoreland ("Sly" by Wolf-Ferrari), the title roles in "Hamlet" by Thomas, "Nabucco" and "Falstaff" by Verdi, "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini, and others. The singer bid farewell to the stage in 1997 as Amonasro at the Metropolitan Opera.
He regularly conducts masterclasses and is the founder of the "VOICExperience Foundation" for young singers. Honorary professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, Commander of the Italian Order of Merit, and Officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters. Author of the biographical book "American Aria".
Born in 1935 into a family of farming enthusiasts of music in the village of Downers Grove, Illinois. From childhood, he showed musical abilities, playing piano, violin, clarinet, and other instruments, performing with his brother and mother at local gatherings. He began studying voice in high school and enrolled at Drake University in Iowa. After graduating from university, from 1958 to 1963, he worked in the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Boris Goldovsky's touring opera company. In 1964, he made a name for himself at the New York City Opera with a successful performance as Valentin in Gounod's "Faust", and in the same role he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1965; the role of Marguerite was sung by Montserrat Caballé.
Leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera for 32 years, during which he performed over 650 performances. Milnes's repertoire at the Met consisted mainly of Italian and French roles: Count di Luna ("Il Trovatore"), Renato ("Un Ballo in Maschera"), Amonasro ("Aida"), Don Carlos ("La Forza del Destino"), Germont ("La Traviata"), Carlos ("Ernani"), Iago ("Otello"), Montfort ("Les Vêpres Siciliennes"), the title roles in "Rigoletto", "Macbeth", "Simon Boccanegra", and "Don Giovanni", Gérard ("Andrea Chénier"), Scarpia ("Tosca"), Jack Rance ("La Fanciulla del West"), Barnaba ("La Gioconda" by Ponchielli), Richard Ford ("I Puritani" by Bellini), Athanaël ("Thaïs" by Massenet), and others.
In 1967, he participated in the world premiere of Marvin David Levy's opera "Mourning Becomes Electra" (role of Adam). The singer gained worldwide fame with his brilliant performance as Miller in "Luisa Miller" in 1968, with Montserrat Caballé as Luisa. He also frequently performed at the New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Chicago Opera, and other major American theatres.
Milnes's European debut took place in 1964 at Milan's Teatro Nuovo, where he performed the role of Figaro ("The Barber of Seville"). Subsequently, he performed on all major European stages, including the Paris National Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, La Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bavarian State Opera, and the Salzburg Festival. In 1989, he performed on the stage of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre as Scarpia ("Tosca").
In 1982 and 1984, Milnes underwent two vocal cord surgeries but successfully returned to the Metropolitan Opera stage as Carlos ("Ernani"); a video recording of this performance exists (Ernani – Luciano Pavarotti, Elvira – Leona Mitchell).
In addition to his Metropolitan Opera repertoire, Milnes performed the roles of Michele ("Il Tabarro" by Puccini), Guglielmo ("Così fan tutte"), Jochanaan ("Salome"), Aetius ("Attila" by Verdi), the Earl of Westmoreland ("Sly" by Wolf-Ferrari), the title roles in "Hamlet" by Thomas, "Nabucco" and "Falstaff" by Verdi, "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini, and others. The singer bid farewell to the stage in 1997 as Amonasro at the Metropolitan Opera.
He regularly conducts masterclasses and is the founder of the "VOICExperience Foundation" for young singers. Honorary professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, Commander of the Italian Order of Merit, and Officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters. Author of the biographical book "American Aria".
