The beloved soprano has for over twenty-five years been a beacon of style, authentic Verdi sound and idiomatic phrasing; the geniune article lirico-spinto soprano d'agilita'. Millo has been thrilling audiences world over since 1984 when a dramatic debut with the Metropolitan Opera catapulted her to superstardom as the leading exponent of the Italian Wing at the historic Metropolitan Opera and made her one of the most celebrated singers of the 20th century. Her voice, ruby rich and velvet with a warm middle and gleaming high notes, has been compared with some of the greatest voices who have ever lived, like legendary sopranos, Renata Tebaldi, Zinka Milanov, Rosa Ponselle and Claudia Muzio.
Millo made a Cinderella-like debut in December of 1984 and has sung over 180 performances in her artistic home at the Metropolitan Opera, of 15 different roles, mostly specializing in the operas of Verdi. Millo has gone on to international success in all the premiere Opera and Concert Halls all over the world. Beloved in Rome, Barcelona, and the Teatro Municipal of Rio Janeiro, she has triumphed in Munich, Vienna, the Arena di Verona, Terme di Caracalla, Buenos Aires, Zurich, Paris, Moscow among many other temples of music. Miss Millo just last year debuted in the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Italy, singing her first Giorgetta in Puccini's atomospheric masterpiece, IL TABARRO,with Maestro Donato Renzetti on the podium, Millo met with great critical and public acclaim, even historic praise from the granddaughter of the composer, Simonetta Puccini in the audience, cheering her approval and was to return in Dec. 2014 for performances of Tosca. A brand new Christmas Medley, "Christmas Through the Ages with Aprile Millo" was released last year on ITUNES, CD baby and AMAZON. Her recordings with SONY CLASSICAL of a Verdi Series of Aida, DON CARLO, Luisa MILLER and Il Trovatore with James Levine and The Metropolitan Opera have long been considered classics and her performance in an international broadcast and DVD of AIDA with Placido Domingo and the Met Opera and James Levine received the prestigious EMMY. Millo's DVD of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" with James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera with tenor legend and great friend, Luciano Pavarotti for DG is a periennial best seller.
A very successful recital in Toronto capped off the 2014 season and Miss Millo is expected in recitals this year as well as a long awaited return to the opera stage. This year she returns to Italy to inaugurate a new music program for opera singers co-founding the Operavision Academy with accomplishd soprano and historian, Dr. Mary Lou Vetere and with Giovanni Pasotto of the Centro Studi Italiani. Keenly aware of passing on the traditions to a new generation Miss Millo has assembled a breathtaking group of music greats to help keep a particular brand of opera alive in these superficial times. Legendary film and opera director, Franco Zeffirelli and Bel-Canto Champion Richard Bonygne are on board to be the champagne in this sparkling new venture. Known as a Verdi specialist and champion of neglected operas Millo has been a heated supporter of Opera remaining true to its traditions and respectful of the composers wishes.
Adter a truly smashing inaugural season.... Operavision Academy comes to Busseto, Italy by special request....
Millo returns to Italy for concerts and a Summer Master Program for Young Singers. Operavision Academy in Urbania in association with the historic Centro Studi Italiani and co-founded with Dr. Mary-Lou Vetere, for three intensive weeks of study. A different kind of summer program. Operavision Academy's invitation is to help the artist see themselves differently. Vocal freedom, artisitic expression and individuality wed to strict respect to the vocal styles and traditions. Not to be missed. July 18th to August 8th.
Round table discussions about all things operatic begin with Mo. Enrico Stinchelli, Mo. Robert Lombardo, and the great Italian baritone, Mo. Silvano Carroli for the first week. With especially filmed vignettes from legendary Franco Zeffirelli talking about Verdi, Bel Canto and Puccini to open each week as interviewed by Enrico Goppralli. A top world class group of music lovers coach and prep for a concert every week, with the proceeds going to the Casa Di Riposo in Milano of Verdi, in Torre del Lago with the wonderful Simonetta Puccini's Villa Puccini Foundation, and the Museo Renata Tebaldi in Busseto.
The honored presence of Dottorresa Simonetta Puccini will cap the week dedicated to the great genius from Torre del Lago, and Verdi week will feature the iconic Verdi Soprano, Aprile Millo in discussion about Verdi and the role she made her own, AIDA, and much more to come. Stay tuned! Bel Canto Champion, and truly legendary Maestro Richard Bonygne comes for a Master Class and a lively discussion in the round about Bel Canto in today's world. Not to be missed.
Miss Millo in front of a glittering audience that included the granddaughter of the composer himself, Simonetta Puccini, made her role debut as Giorgetta in Puccini's atmospheric,
"IL TABARRO" with Donato Renzetti on the podium.
The iconic soprano returns to Toronto in Nov. 2014 in "Spend the Weekend with Aprile Millo" where on the 13th she championed oyung Canadian Artists of the Vetere Studio in a filmed recital and then in a filmed solo recital Miss Millo returned to Toronto.
Millo in excerpts from Verismo rarities, the third act of ZAZA' by Leoncavallo and the Death and Transfiguration of Saint Cecilia, from the sacred opera by Lincinio Refice, CECILIA. Dedicated by Mme. Millo in memory of her great friends and mentors, Licia Albanese and Carlo Bergonzi, and Magda Olivero who had all recently crossed into Paradise before this performance.
Un Angelo in una Chiesa Benefit Concert for the Renata Tebaldi Museum.