Savannah VOICE Festival (SVF) is partnering with Savannah Music Festival to present ‘American Opera Icon’ at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 3 at District Live at Plant Riverside District in celebration of Sherrill Milnes’ 60^th anniversary of his Metropolitan Opera Debut. American baritone Milnes will share stories about his launch into international stardom and his life as the most recorded American opera singer of his time. All are invited to join the exciting evening filled with live performances from Milnes’ colleagues and mentees in addition to special video presentations to see a storied opera career through the eyes of a living legend.

“Savannah VOICE Festival is excited to return to the stage with Savannah Music Festival to celebrate legendary baritone Sherrill Milnes,” said SVF Executive Director Evelina Erickson. “This collaboration showcases the unparalleled impact Milnes has had on the world of opera.” 

‘American Opera Icon’ will be hosted by Sherrill Milnes and directed by Maria Zouves. Patty Turner, local TV personality, will be the event’s emcee. The featured artists will include baritone Javier Arrey, mezzo-soprano Jessica Ann Best, tenor Peter Lake, soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra, and pianist Jonathan Murphy. 

“Savannah Music Festival is thrilled to once again partner with Savannah VOICE Festival this season to celebrate the extraordinary career of Sherrill Milnes,” said Gene Dobbs Bradford, Executive Director of Savannah Music Festival. “Through this collaboration, we not only honor Milnes’ legacy but also showcase rising stars of the genre and the power of music to connect us across cultures, languages, and generations.”

Tickets for ‘American Opera Icon’ are now on sale for $53. To purchase tickets or for more information about the performance, please visit https://www.savannahmusicfestival.org/event/sherrill-milnes-american-opera-icon/. 

Sherrill Milnes -- a five-time Grammy® nominated, three-time Grammy® winner and 2008 Opera News Award winner -- is internationally recognized as the leading Verdi Baritone of his time. A world-renowned opera star who sang for over four decades, Milnes has conquered all of the great opera capitols of the world, including the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; La Scala, Milan; Berlin’s Deutsche Opera; the Paris Opera; Buenos Aires’ famed Teatro Colon; the Liceu in Barcelona; the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; the Salzburg Festival; the Hamburg Opera; and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. Milnes is Commendatore of the Italian Republic and a Chevalier of the French Republic and was inducted into the Lincoln Academy, the highest honor the State of Illinois can bestow. He has had the honor of performing for every United States President from Gerald Ford to the end of the 20th Century. Milnes is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and continuing the tradition of great opera through a commitment to working extensively with young singers throughout his career.  He has led master classes at the Juilliard and Manhattan Schools in New York, at most major universities throughout the country and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.  More extensive teaching has been done at the Yale University School of Music; Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow; the Northern Royal College of Music in Manchester, England (where he is a fellow); the Israel Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv; Montreal; Puerto Rico; the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy; and in his own 25-year training program, VOICExperience. The legendary artist and educator is now Distinguished Professor of Music Emeritus from Northwestern University who teaches and judges vocal competitions around the world. In his ninetieth decade, he continues to be a vital part of his programs, teaching and presenting his many events throughout the year.

Savannah VOICE Festival is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt nonprofit arts organization in the state of Georgia. The Festival brings classical vocal excellence to the Savannah area through a two-week celebration of concerts, events and educational presentations during the month of August and throughout the year. Focusing on arts awareness and audience development in the performing arts, it offers music from opera, musical theatre and popular song. Donations are tax-deductible.

The Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is a leading nonprofit performing arts organization, dedicated to presenting exceptional live music that entertains, educates, inspires, and unites communities. In addition to year-round music education, community engagement, and broadcast initiatives, SMF produces one of the most distinctive multi-genre music festivals in the world. Hailed by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution as “one of the gleaming musical treasures of the Southeast” and by the Toronto Star as “one of North America’s most distinctive musical events,” the annual springtime festival has featured thousands of artists from across the globe since its founding in 1989. For more information, visit savannahmusicfestival.org.

Performances in District Live are made possible through support from Plant Riverside District. This performance is sponsored by Visit Savannah and sponsored in part by Margie & B.H. Levy, Jr. and Larry Pike Family Charitable Fund. Partial support provided by Toby W. Hollenberg. Piano by Steinway & Sons.