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SHERRILL MILNES was born in Downer's Grove, Illinois, on January 10, 1935 to a dairy farmer and his wife. During his childhood, Milnes developed strong musical talents: in addition to possessing a remarkable voice, he was proficient on the piano, violin, viola, double bass, clarinet, and tuba. Although his interests did not always lean towards opera, he spent many hours singing to his father's cows, and once was found on a tractor practicing an operatic laugh. While in high school, Milnes planned to be an anaethesiologist, but later returned to music, studying music education at Drake University and Northwestern University, in hopes of becoming a teacher. His career as an opera singer did not materialize for several more years. He joined the Boris Goldovsky Opera Company in 1960 (he calls it the "luckiest possible beginning" to his career), and made his first important operatic debut four years later at the New York City Opera as Valentin in Gounod's Faust (a role which also served for his Metropolitan Opera debut the same year). His European debut occured later in 1964 at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, Italy -- he sang Figaro from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. However, it was his performance as Miller in Verdi's Louisa Miller in 1968 which catapulted him into international fame. Since then, he has been hailed as one of the greatest Verdian baritones of all time, and has been a favorite in New York, singing much of his repertoire exclusively at the Met.
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MARIA ZOUVES has been hailed by the Stuttgart Zeitung as a "beautiful, lyric voice" and "a not to be surpassed 'piano' in the high register." Opera News described her voice as "creamy." This Greek-American soprano shows great versatility in opera, concert stages, and cross-over, specializing in classical and popular Greek music. Ms. Zouves has sung leading roles with the Baltimore Opera, Memphis Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Orlando Opera, and the Florentine Opera. Zouves made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1997, singing in concerts four consecutive seasons, including the Rutter Requiem under the baton of John Rutter. She completed her debut solo recording of Greek songs entitled "With Flowers Crowned" on the VAI AUDIO label. Her extensive concert work includes performances with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Guild Series, the Austrian Consulate, and the Athenian Ball with Thannos Microutsikos (a gala telecast with the Bucharest Radio Orchestra), and in many concert halls throughout this country and abroad. Zouves was asked to sing in Athens in a command performance for the American and Greek ambassadors. She also works with young singers as a career liaison through her article, "A Conversation with…," featured in Classical Singer. She has taught workshops at Southern Illinois University, Drake University, International Vocal Arts Institute in Puerto Rico, and at the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy. She is an advocate of outreach, and in her work as opera director at Northwestern University, she founded their highly successful outreach program. Co-founding and directing V.O.I.C.Experience has enabled her to help numerous singers find their career paths. She and her husband Sherrill Milnes have a five-year-old son, Theophilos Zouves Milnes (Theo).
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