Timeline
1776
American Roots
During the Revolutionary War, Sherrill Milnes’s great-great-great-grandfather, Matthew Lyon, is Ethan Allen’s second-in-command in the Green Mountain Boys. In 1778 he helps draft the Constitution (1778), and from 1797-1801 serves as a U.S. Congressman from Vermont
1828
American Roots
Matthew Lyon’s daughter, Elizabeth Ann Lyon, marries Dr. John Roe
1858
Musical Roots
Charles Ketcham Roe – Sherrill’s grandfather – is born in Downers Grove, Illinois; he later becomes the song leader at the Community Methodist Church, and his daughter, Thelma – Sherrill’s mother – its organist.
1901
Musical Roots
The year Verdi died, Sherrill’s parents – James Knowlton Milnes and Marion Thelma Roe – are born
1931
Musical Roots
Sherrill’s brother – Roe Knowlton Milnes – is born
1935
Early Years
On January 10, Sherrill Milnes is born to James Knowlton Milnes, a Methodist minister, and Marion Thelma Roe in Downers Grove, Illinois, and raised on a small dairy farm
1948
Early Years
A member of the 4-H Club, Sherrill enters a heifer that wins first place in the DuPage County Fair
Early Years
From 1948-52 Studies voice, violin, viola, jazz bass, and tuba in high school and sings in church choir at the First Congregationalist Church where his mother is choir director
1952
Early Years
As concertmaster of his high school orchestra, dates principal cellist Charlotte Slack
Early Years
1952-58, Earns bachelor’s and master’s of music education degrees at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa
1956
Early Years
Marries Charlotte Slack
1958
First Jobs
Joins Fritz Reiner’s newly formed Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus, directed by Margaret Hillis; begins voice over work singing on commercials (which he continues for many years)
First Jobs
1958-64, Studies voice with Hermanus Baer at Northwestern University
1959
First Jobs
Son Eric is born
First Jobs
Becomes an apprentice artist at Santa Fe Opera
1960
First Jobs
1960-61, Spends summers at Tanglewood in Boris Goldovsky’s opera workshop
First Jobs
Signs with Herbert Barrett Management (still with same management, now called Barrett Vantage Artists)
First Jobs
Professional opera debut in Boris Goldovsky Opera Company (Masetto in Don Giovanni); tours for five years with the company, traveling more than 100,000 miles and singing more than 300 performances of a dozen operas
1961
Debuts
Wins Ford Foundation prize, which leads to debuts in the early 1960s with regional opera companies, such as Baltimore (Andrea Chenier), Cincinnati (Il Trovatore), Houston (Pagliacci), Pittsburgh (Pagliacci), and San Antonio (Faust)
1963
Debuts
Sings Carmina Burana at Chicago’s Grant Park Festival, conducted by Julius Rudel
1964
Debuts
New York City Opera debut Faust (Valentin, opposite Norman Treigle as Mephistopheles)
1965
Debuts
Daughter, Erin, is born
Debuts
Metropolitan Opera debut in Faust (Valentin) at old Met (also Caballé’s debut); from 1965 to 1997 Sherrill is a principal artist at the Met, singing 652 performances, and honored with 16 new productions, seven opening nights, and ten national telecasts
1966
Debuts
Sings for the first time at the new Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center (Valentin in Faust)
1967
Debuts
Creates the role of Adam Brant in Martin David Levy’s Mourning Becomes Electra at the Met, conducted by Zubin Mehta and staged by Zorba the Greek director Michael Cacoyannis
1968
1968-1972
Performances at the Met as the Miller in Luisa Miller (with Montserrat Caballé and Richard Tucker) catapult Sherrill to international stardom
1969
1968-1972
Sherrill’s beloved mother, Thelma, succumbs to cancer; Sherrill conducts Mendelssohn’s Elijah at home in Illinois in her honor
1968-1972
Wins his first Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (RCA’s Così fan tutte with Leontyne Price, Judith Raskin, Tatiana Troyanos, George Shirley, Ezio Flagello, and the New Philharmonia Orchestra under Erich Leinsdorf)
1968-1972
Marries Nancy Stokes
1970
1968-1972
European debut at the Vienna State Opera in title role of Verdi’s Macbeth (under Karl Böhm, with Christa Ludwig, Karl Ridderbusch)
1971
1968-1972
Lyric Opera of Chicago debut Don Carlo (Posa)
1968-1972
Covent Garden debut Un ballo in maschera (Renato)
1972
1968-1972
Wins his second Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (RCA’s Aida with Leontyne Price, Grace Bumbry, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, and the London Symphony Orchestra under Erich Leinsdorf)
1968-1972
Son Shawn is born
1975
1975-1980
Wins his third Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (RCA’s La bohème with Montserrat Caballé, Judith Blegen, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Georg Solti)
1975-1980
Writes, hosts, and sings for his film Homage to Verdi, shot on location in Italy, which takes the viewer through Verdi’s Italy
1976
1975-1980
First appearance at the White House; performs at a State Dinner for the Prime Minister of Australia, Henry Kissinger, Shirley Temple Black, Gregory Peck, and other guests, hosted by President and Mrs. Gerald Ford
1977
1975-1980
Sings at the Inauguration Day prayer service for President Jimmy Carter in 18° temperature, televised from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial
1979
1975-1980
Sherrill’s father dies
1980
1975-1980
Performs at the White House for a state dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan; first of many times for the 40th President
1983
1983-1988
Appears as himself on Tony Randall’s TV show, Love, Sidney in the episode “Surprise Party”
1983-1988
Honored as a Commendatore of the Italian Republic
1985
1983-1988
Sherrill Milnes: An All-Star Gala is filmed in East Berlin; introduced by Burt Lancaster, Sherrill’s collaborating artists include Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Julia Migenes-Johnson, Peter Schreier, and Jon Spong; available on DVD
1983-1988
Makes first appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors, singing duets with Carol Burnett as a tribute to honoree Beverly Sills, broadcast live on CBS-TV; subsequently participated in celebrations for honorees Jessye Norman, Victor Borge, Luciano Pavarotti, and Joan Sutherland
1986
1983-1988
Sherrill Milnes at Juilliard: An Opera Master Class video is released
1983-1988
Performs in Central Park at the New York Philharmonic’s tribute to the 100th anniversary of Statue of Liberty, conducted by Zubin Mehta, and broadcast live on ABC-TV
1987
1983-1988
Receives New York City’s Seal of Recognition for his contributions to the city’s cultural life from Mayor Ed Koch
1988
1983-1988
Sings Fourth of July concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich for more than half a million people in front of the Capitol on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
1990
1990-1997
Sherrill’s 25th anniversary at the Met is honored with a radio broadcast ceremony onstage during Andrea Chénier
1991
1990-1997
Performs in the Met’s star-studded 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, broadcast live on PBS-TV, and available on DVD
1993
1990-1997
Organizes a benefit concert in Vienna’s famed St. Stephen’s Cathedral for the victims of the Bosnia-Herzegovina War
1996
1990-1997
New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani marries Sherrill and soprano Maria Zouves at City Hall (Dec. 19, 1996)
1990-1997
Performs in James Levine’s 25th Anniversary Gala at the Met, released by Deutsche Grammophon on DVD
1990-1997
Honored by the French government with the Chevalier de l’Ordre Arts et des Lettres
1997
1990-1997
Sings American premiere of George Antheil’s opera Transatlantic with Minnesota Opera (Ajax)
1990-1997
Final performance at the Met in Aida (Amonasro); from 1965 to 1997 Sherrill sang 652 performances as a principal artist at the Met, and was honored with 16 new productions, seven opening nights, and ten national telecasts
1998
1998-2000
Schirmer Books publishes his memoir, American Aria: From Farm Boy to Opera Star
1998-2000
Makes conducting debut in Carnegie Hall with the Brooklyn Philharmonic and baritone Mark Delevan in the title role; the work is his mother’s favorite oratorio: Mendelssohn’s Elijah
1999
1998-2000
Sherrill is invited to judge for the first time at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition
1998-2000
Sherrill is invited to judge for the first time at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition
2000
1998-2000
Son Theophilos (Theo) Zouves Milnes is born
1998-2000
Founds VOICExperience Foundation with soprano Maria Zouves, a non-profit organization that trains and mentors singers and builds audiences for the vocal arts
1998-2000
Joins the faculty at Northwestern University as the John Evans Distinguished Professor of Music
1998-2000
Makes operatic conducting debut: Aida with Memphis Opera
2003
2003-2015
Sherrill is inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Boston, which was started by President John Adams
2003-2015
Honored with membership in the Lincoln Academy, the highest award by State of Illinois
2007
2003-2015
Amadeus Press publishes second edition of his memoir, updated as American Aria: Encore
2008
2003-2015
Receives Opera News Award for Distinguished Achievement
2013
2003-2015
Founds the Savannah VOICE Festival with soprano Maria Zouves, as a companion to VOICExperience, bringing classical vocal excellence to the Savannah, Georgia area through concerts, fully staged operas, educational presentations and community outreach
2015
2003-2015
Opera Tampa honors Sherrill with Anton Coppola Excellence in the Arts Award
2003-2015
50th Anniversary of Sherrill’s Met debut