The Diva’s Back
By Eli Jacobson
1984 was a memborable year for more than just George Orwell fans. That was also the year a major new soprano also emerged in the world of opera: Aprile Millo. Millo had just joined the Young Artist’s Program at the Metropolitan Opera and had sung Verdi’s “Ernani” in the parks. Major stage debuts were still in the future as far as New York City was concerned.
But that was to change fast. Her first regular stage appearance in New York City was under the auspices of the Opera Orchestra of New York in the Young
Aprile Millo
Artist cover cast performance of Rossini’s William Tell at Lehman Center. “Actually it was three weeks before what would be the surprise debut at the Met,” Millo remembered during a recent interview. She jumped in for an ailing soprano in the Met’s Simon Boccanegra on Dec. 3, 1984. Millo’s initial successes led to a collaboration with Eve Queler and Opera Orchestra that included La Battaglia di Legnano, I Lombardi, La Wally, Il Pirata, Adriana Lecouvreur and La Fanciulla del West, among others. Flash forward 25 years and Opera Orchestra is now fighting for its life, canceling its entire opera in concert season (including a Medea that would have starred Millo). Instead, the company is replacing it with a season of their signature artists in recital.
“When Eve Queler determined to try and tread water during a difficult time, I said, ‘How may I help you? Why don’t I do a recital for you, you don’t have to pay me,’” Millo said. “I think it is very nice to celebrate 25 years in front of a New York public. Eve, over time, has given me so many chances, expanding my repertoire to show different things to New York. It has been an enormous collaboration, so I was very happy to help.”
This is actually Millo’s first recital in the city. Why did it take so long? “I thought it was overkill: I was at the Met for 18 seasons straight…I waited until the right opportunity, and I think that this is a very nice celebration to draw attention to the fact that the Opera Orchestra is not going anywhere, it’s alive.”
Being an individualist, Millo stresses that this will not be a “regular” recital, and she has enlisted many friends to help her put together something unique. “I felt the first half would be most interesting if it was a recital proper, taken from the world of lieder, art song and canzone italiane, showing how the voice sounds wed with many other instruments.” Millo explained that the second half will be pretty much exclusively opera. Among those joining Millo in Frederick Rose Hall on Nov. 17, will be tenor Michael Fabiano, baritone Luis Ledesma and cellist Lynn Harell with Lucy Arner on piano.
“I wanted to give a little love letter to New York and thank them for watching me grow up and for having been so supportive and wonderful.”
