Milla Andrew

Andrew, Milla
Milla or Ludmilla (Eugenia) Andrew. Soprano, b Vancouver of Russian parents; BA (British Columbia) 1952. A pupil of Avis Phillips and Phylis Inglis in Vancouver (where she sang in the TUTS productions of Song of Norway and The Merry Widow) and of Irene Jessner in Toronto, she made her COC debut in 1954 in the role of The Foreign Woman in The Consul. Further COC roles included Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro (1955) and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus (1955, 1969) and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel (1957). In 1957 she won the San Francisco Opera auditions and sang in Aida and Der Rosenkavalier. She was Elvira in Don Giovanni at the 1958 Vancouver International Festival and Musetta in La Bohème with the Vancouver Opera. She won the Metropolitan Opera western regional auditions in 1958. After a successful career in Vancouver radio, TV, oratorio, and opera, she moved to England where a sensational unrehearsed Sadler's Wells debut 27 Jan 1965 as Madama Butterfly led to such roles as Rosalinda, Lady Rich in Britten's Gloriana, Tosca, and Senta in The Flying Dutchman. She also sang the title role in Donizetti's Anna Bolena at the 1968 Glyndebourne Festival. Her Covent Garden debut 18 Apr 1969 as the Player Queen in the premiere of Humphrey Searle's Hamlet was followed by a succession of Strauss, Verdi, and Wagner roles. She has appeared with the Scottish, Irish, and Welsh national operas, in the USA, New Zealand, Argentina, Italy, Belgium, and Spain, and at the Guelph Spring Festival. Her voice was described by the critic John Kraglund as "big and exciting" (Toronto Globe and Mail 16 Sep 1969) after her appearance in the COC production of Die Fledermaus. Following a New York Town Hall recital, a reviewer for Diva (vol 5, Dec 1982), described her as a 'modern-day Florence Easton with a large girlish voice governed by a solid technique'. In 1990 Andrew continued to reside and perform in England.

Discography
Delius The Magic Fountain. BBC Concert Orch. 1981. Arabesque Z6546-2 (CD)

- Margot La Rouge. BBC Concert Orch, Del Mar conductor, Andrew (Lili Béguin). 1981. BBC Artium REGL-458/Arabesque Z6546-2 (CD)

Donizetti Gabriella di Vergy. Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Royal Phil O, A. Francis conductor, Andrew (Gabriella). (1978. 3-Opera Rara OR-3

- Maria di Rudenz. Philomusica of London. A. Francis conductor. Andrew (Maria). 1974 2-MRF 140/2-Unique Opera UORC-225

- Rosmonda d'Inghilterra. Ulster Orch. A. Francis conductor. Andrew (Lenora). 1975. 3-MRF-127/2-Unique Opera UORC-274

Massenet Sapho. BBC SO. Keefe conductor. Andrew (Fanny Legrand). 1973. 2-MRF 125

Verdi Macbeth. BBC Concert Orch. Matheson conductor. Andrew (Lady in Waiting). 1978. 3-Voce 11

Bibliography

Slater, Clare. "Profile: Milla Andrew," OpCan, Feb 1969

Kirby, Blaik. "Canadian soprano a hit in Argentina," Toronto Globe and Mail, 11 May 1979

Couling, Delia. "Selling yourself: the vocal coach-stage coach," The Singer, Oct-Nov 1999