Aprile Millo

Aprile Millo (born April 14, 1958) is an American operatic soprano of Italian and Irish ancestry who is particularly admired for her interpretations of the works of Giuseppe Verdi. Possessing a spinto voice of power, warmth and temperament, Millo became one of the most celebrated opera singers of the late twentieth century. Although she has performed at many of the world's leading opera houses and with many orchestras and ensembles internationally, Millo has spent much of her career appearing in productions at the Metropolitan Opera.

Background and early career

Aprile Millo was born in New York City, the daughter of two opera singers, tenor Giovanni Millo (John Hamill) and soprano Margherita Girosi. Millo became interested in music at an early age and received her musical education primarily from her parents. After graduating from Hollywood High School in 1976 she was invited to join the San Diego Opera Center as an apprentice, where she took part in the inaugural program and where as a member she sang the High Priestess in Aida. In several European trips she was to win several important singing competitions including first prize in the Concorso Internazionale di Voci Verdiane in Busseto, Italy (1978), the Montserrat Caballé Bernabe Marti Special Verdi Prize Award in Barcelona (1979), and the Geraldine Farrar Award (1980).