Singers mourn an iconic opera teacher
mainThe death has been posted of Ludmilla Andrew, a Canadian soprano of Russian extraction who became London’s go-to coach in Russian repertoire.
After making her London opera debut at Sadlers Wells, she was a successful recital singer and frequent broadcaster with pianist Geoffrey Parsons and a regular cast member at UK companies until the late 1980s.
Known to all as Milla, she went on to coach two generations of singers at the Royal Academy of Music. ‘Such a kind and brilliant woman,’ says Dame Sarah Connolly.
photo: David Parry
Katarina Jovanovic, former head of Belgrad Opera, writes: ‘My dear Ludmilla Andrew has passed. We have lost a fountain of joy and wit and an absolute goldmine of knowledge and love for opera. I will miss her terribly. She was very clever, talented and her voice was a true force in service of music and expression of words. She taught me a lot about nuances and not just in the Russian repertory, though everything I know of any value about Tchaikovsky’s Tatiana, I have learned from Milla. Above all she was an excellent singer and a dedicated and loving teacher.’
.. sure I heard her Butterfly at the Coliseum around 75..is this correct ?
Rip.
So did I, Gm, on 15 Nov. 1978. Gwynne Howell sang Pinkerton. Mark Elder conducted. Also her Aida, the following year, opposite Elizabeth Connell and John Tomlinson, again with Elder. ENO was a company then!
A bass Pinkerton? Now that is original casting!
Henry, of course. Milla Andrew, Maureen Morelle, Henry Howell and Neil Howlett.
Maybe Henry Howell as Pinkerton? Definitely not Gwynne!
Gwyneth Howell was a bass and will not have sung the role of Pinkerton.
His name is Gwynne. Gwynth is a female name.
Howell if anything would have sung Sharpless or Bonze, certainly not the tenor Pinkerton!
Moreover, she sang it in English – which was not her native language.
Her recordings of the Medtner rimances remain the benchmark, for musicality allied to textual clarity. That poetry is not a simple matter to deliver!
Вечная память.
Who’s Katarina Jovanovic??
Milla Andrew sang the Witch in the first opera I ever saw in 1957 – Hansel and Gretel with what was to become the Canadian Opera Company. She left Canada for London shortly there after. I followed her career and recall being surprised when I saw here name in the Glyndebourne Anna Bolena. May she rest in peace
I think she sang a rather fine Turandot with Scottishness opera too.
*Scottish*
She was a remarkable last minute stand in for Linda Esther Gray as Turandot for Scottish Opera. Also an incredibly funny Berta in The Barber of Seville