In praise of Sherrill Milnes.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)

I opened the August issue of OPERA NEWS with great eagerness to read the article on Sherrill Milnes, only to be saddened and disgusted by Peter G. Davis's ill-considered and condescending carping at the expense of one of the most thrilling singers ever to grace the stage of the Met. I was privileged to hear Mr. Milnes sing many times in New York and elsewhere and was never less than awed, not only by the size and intensity of his instrument, but also by the sincerity and commitment of his interpretation. The voice was a timeless, one-of-a-kind touchstone of dramatic baritonal sound.

What would Mr. Davis have? His every line of praise ("handsome, rock-solid, unblemished tone") is consistently undermined by disparagement ("some of us still wanted more"). Perhaps, but many more of us were quite delighted with what we got. If, as Mr. Davis claims, he "cannot honestly recall any remarkable details that would have given his characterizations a memorable stamp," I would attribute this to the failure of Mr. Davis's memory or his musical taste rather than to any alleged shortcomings on the part of the singer. I suggest Mr. Davis revisit the many Milnes recordings--any of them. The remarkable details are plainly evident.

William L. Collins

Newark, DE

I think there was marvelous depth in what Milnes did repeatedly. I saw his Iago, I saw his Boccanegra; I even remember his first Giovanni, for which he ...