Andrew MacMillan

MacMillan, Andrew

Andrew MacMillan. Bass-baritone, stage director, b Glasgow 22 Nov 1914, d Toronto 7 Feb 1967. His family moved to Canada ca 1916 and settled in Montreal where, at 17, he began studies with Finlay Campbell. In the 1930s he sang in light opera and oratorio productions in Montreal. He was a member of the Canadian Army Show during World War II. After the war he studied voice at the Royal Cons Opera School (University of Toronto Opera Division), with Ernesto Vinci. In 1949 MacMillan became teaching assistant to Herman Geiger-Torel. In 1950 he joined the COC as both a singer and the assistant stage director. His roles included Colline and Schaunard in La Bohème, the Secret Police Agent in The Consul, Frank and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Almaviva, Figaro, and Dr Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro, and Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld. During the early 1950s he sang with the Opera Association of Central America, touring in Guatemala, San Salvador, and Costa Rica.

MacMillan also was heard in opera and recitals over CBC radio and TV, appeared in Spring Thaw, was stage director for the opera department of the Banff SFA, and coached at the Royal Cons Opera School. For the COC he directed Madama Butterfly (1962), La Bohème (1963, 1965), and Die Fledermaus (1964). After MacMillan's death Herman Geiger-Torel wrote of him (Opera Canada, Feb 1967): 'His knowledge of languages, his excellent musicianship, his fabulous acting talent paired with a very fine voice made him prominent in the upcoming world of opera in Canada'.