Born in Illinois, Erie Mills was a graduate of the College of Wooster, the University of Illinois, and the Houston Opera Studio. Her voice instructors included Dale Moore, Karl Trump, Grace Wilson, Elena Nikolaidi, and Alan Bowers.
From 1998 to 2008, she was on the voice faculty at San José State University, and from 2004, worked as the English diction specialist for Opera Theatre of St. Louis. That same year, she became the first singer to join the board of directors of Opera America.
In 2016, she joined the Livermore Valley Opera (LVO) as Artistic Director, having been involved with the company since 2009. The LVO later appointed her Artistic Director Laureate in her honor, and is now establishing a legacy fund in her name.
As a soprano, Mills held a global career of more than 25 years performing with companies including the San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, English National Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and many others.
Mills also appeared with the orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles, and the VARA Radio Orchestra at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
At the LVO, she led and shaped its productions, mentored young singers, and welcomed numerous first-time opera audiences.
Among her accolades were the Richard Tucker Foundation grant in 1984, and both the Distinguished Alumni Award (1989) and an honorary Doctorate in Music (1993) from her alma mater, the College of Wooster.
“Her warmth, artistry, and belief in the power of live opera shaped the company and touched everyone who worked alongside her,” LVO shares, adding in a separate post that their “community is richer for having known her, and we hold all those whose lives she touched in our hearts.”
“Erie was an invaluable leader of Livermore Valley Opera. She had a vision and pedigree to bring the company to the next level of artistry and professionalism,” says LVO Music Director Alexander Katsman. “With her, LVO was able to expand the repertory and produce such operas as Eugene Onegin, A Florentine Tragedy, Of Mice and Men, and Three Decembers.
“[She] was a wonderful colleague and friend. Working with her was always a discovery of what is possible, new and exciting. I always admired her integrity, her energy and her total dedication to the highest level of our art.”
Our condolences to Ms. Mills’s family, friends, students, and colleagues.