Wagner Society in NSW Inc

Wagner in Australia

We are pleased to be able to present another chapter in our continuing occasional series on the impact of Wagner on the lives of people in and around Sydney . This issue's story is from a now retired singer who worked for many years with the Australian Opera as well as in overseas companies. As with Phillip Bennett from Newsletter No. 99, Kevin Mills stumbled onto Wagner at an early age and was also transformed for life by the experience. The following are extracts from Kevin's Biography.

'A Synopsis from the Biography: 'Not Always the Understudy'.

The influence of Richard Wagner on my Career and my development as a Heldentenor.

(Heldentenor: n (German). A singer with a powerful voice suitable for operatic parts. Also called “heroic tenor.”)

By KEVIN MILLS.

About fifty-five years ago, as a naïve country lad, my first Singing Teacher gave me a lovely gift. It was Christmas. The gift was a large album of Wagnerian Music Treasures.

Beautifully bound and illustrated, the book stimulated my imagination and instilled in me an ambition to become an Opera Singer. At fifteen years of age I had no conception of the difficult career path that lay ahead.

In those times there were only wax recordings or radio to listen to. My favourite item was the Pilgrim's Chorus from “Tannhauser”. Wagner was considered to be ‘highbrow'. The culturally deprived still consider that to be so, even today. Fortunately Wagner's music is more accessible now and those who appreciate his legacy can delight in his music whenever we desire it.

Two years later I found myself a new teacher in Sydney . That is where my realistic mind told me I should go if ever I was to realise my ambitions. The highly regarded Richard G. Thew O.B.E. took me on and guided my progress for 10 years and more, until 1957 when I won the Sydney “Sun” Aria Competition. Also that year I was the N.S.W. Winner and a Commonwealth Finalist in the A.B.C. Vocal Competition. The previous year 1956 I was the N.S.W. Winner and Commonwealth Finalist in “Mobil Quest”. I have also won the Adelaide Vocal Championship, which embraced the whole field of vocal endeavour: English Art Song, Oratorio, French-song, and German Lieder.

As a student in Australia I was known as an Eisteddfod singer. One of the many who entered voice competitions anywhere, whether it was in the country, the metropolitan areas, or interstate. It could be a costly way of becoming known to the public while enjoying the vocal sounds and skills we assumed that we had. Prize money, (if one was fortunate to win a placing), rarely covered the preparation cost for the event. We did it for the love of singing! Perhaps too, for a fleeting glimpse of glory

Striving to make one's advancement, as a singer is not an easy task in Australia . An operatic career is a rough road to travel no matter what country one is born into. Fortunately there are better conditions and better circumstances now-a -days than existed half a century ago. If an Australian Singer wanted a career in Opera, it was imperative to go abroad for it. The cultural differences in languages and educational backgrounds were then a big challenge to the ‘ Aussie Battler.' That some young singers overcame these difficulties is a great credit to them. We now have had a few homegrown Australian National and Regional Opera Companies presenting world-class productions on a regular basis. Thus giving local talent a small opportunity, if only for a while, to work in their own country.

My first introduction to Wagnerian Opera was as a supernumerary in “The Mastersingers of Nuremberg” at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1950. Richard, (or Mr. Thew), as we all addressed him, told me it would add to my stage experience. It was a short season of six performances, conducted by Sir. Eugene Goosens who was the Director of the ‘con' as well as the conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

The production contained singers of the calibre of the Bass, James Wilson and the tenor, Alan Ferris. It was a gigantic effort to present this opera in such an unsuitable venue. In hindsight, the production left much to be desired, but the experience gained was considerable.

After my “Sun” Aria success, I headed for London with aspirations to study further and work in Opera if possible. I had a few introductions, but not all brought a positive result.

Richard Thew had given me the price of two tickets to Covent Garden Opera House. I was to spend my first night in London at the opera.

The opera was “Parsifal” with the Canadian tenor Jon Vickers singing the title role. “Tristan and Isolde” was my next Wagnerian ‘treat' among many other operas in the repertoire. Perhaps the most memorable performance I ever saw at Covent Garden was that of Gedda Lamars as “Electra”. She had been flown in at the last moment to replace the scheduled artist. It was an electrifying performance I will never forget.

For two years I submerged myself in studies with such teachers as Clive Carey and Gustave Sacher. I also had regular coaching sessions with Paul Hamburger, Geoffrey Parsons, Ivor Newton and others. Sacher's method of teaching was a revelation. In those two years he had changed my voice from a Baritone to a voice with potential to cover a three-octave range and beyond. My voice grew in size, but also I was capable of pianissimo singing that could project to the back rows of any Theatre or Concert Hall while maintaining an excellent quality of sound.

Funds were running out after six months of daily tuition. I had auditioned for Covent Garden and Sadlers Wells Opera Companies, but nothing had been offered to me. Naturally enough I was becoming a little disappointed and disillusioned.

I had shared a Recital, which was held at Australia House. Beryl Kimber the Australian Violinist was the other artist.

After securing for myself a Theatrical Agent, my career took off in a new direction. I was offered work as a featured Vocalist in Seaside Revue with “The Fol de Rols,” a famous Revue Company throughout England for more than twenty-five years. This was a practical grounding in variety theatre, which was to benefit me greatly in the years ahead. It was hard work! Three shows each day of every week. It was a production line of popular entertainment! I could have stayed on for more of it, but that would have defeated my reason for going to England .

My vocal studies continued. Then an opening became available to me in the Carl Rosa Opera Chorus.

This Company had recently been taken over by Sadlers Wells Opera. It was to continue operating as the touring component of Sadlers Wells Opera, which was concentrating its activities towards a move into the Coliseum Theatre in London 's West End . Both the Resident Company and the Touring Company shared Principal Singers and Choristers. The result was a strong resource of singers who would enlarge and enhance the proposed productions of “The Merry Widow”, “ Land of Smiles ” and then followed by “Orpheus in the Underworld.” While these operettas were staged in London the company continued its responsibilities to present opera to the provinces of England and Scotland .

In the second week of the tour I was called upon as Understudy of Yamadori in “Madam Butterfly”. The scheduled performer was not available and had returned to London .

After minimal rehearsal and none at all with the Madam Butterfly, (who happened to be the illustrious Dame Joan Hammond), I nervously made my entrance. I will never forget the Dame's look of amazement when I appeared instead of the guy she had rehearsed with. Her raised left slanted eyebrow has remained in my memory ever since! For the remainder of the season I became the scheduled Yamadori.

Another highlight emerged when as Gerard in “Andrea Chenier”, I was to sing with Ava June at Wigmore Hall for the Lotte Lehman Master-classes presented by the National School of Opera.

I believed I had ‘made it' in London 's West End when I got the opportunity to perform the juvenile male lead of Count Gustl opposite June Bronhill as Lisa in Lehar's lovely operetta, “ Land of Smiles ”.

Peter Grant was performing the role of Gustl when he became ill. I replaced him for the last eight performances of the London season. Little did I realise then, that I would encounter a similar situation a few years later in Hobart Tasmania when I was again to take over from Peter Grant the role of Danilo in “The Merry Widow”. Peter developed laryngitis during rehearsals and he returned to England .

I successfully stepped into the Danilo role and saved the entire season from cancellation in 1962.

On returning to Australia for a holiday at Christmas 1959, I made a decision to remain.

Very soon the Sadlers Wells Opera Company presented productions of “The Merry Widow” starring June Bronhill in Australia , in an arrangement with Garnet H. Carroll Theatres. I was playing the role of Cascada and was the Understudy of Danilo. In “ Orpheus in the Underworld” which followed, I was the Understudy of both the leading male roles of Orpheus played by Kevin Miller and Aristeus, sung by Jon Weaving. Aristeus was the most challenging. The productions had a phenomenal success and ran for three years in Australia with a break in 1961 to do a Tour of New Zealand. I was not involved because the Tivoli Circuit had asked me to join their production of “The Student Prince” in Sydney .

I was to sing Von Asterberg and understudy the major role of Dr. Engle.

For the Tivoli Circuit in 1961, I also played Franz Schubert in “Lilac Time”. The show was to run for six weeks only as a ‘fill-in' between two other productions. “Lilac Time” was so successful; the run was extended to six months and played Melbourne , Adelaide and Sydney .

During 1965 I had a very diverse year. There was little happening in Commercial Theatre except the Joan Sutherland Opera Season presented in association with J.C.Williamson Theatres Ltd. I applied for work but was told that only 15 singers from the National Opera were to be used.

The Federated Music Clubs existed throughout the State, enabling me to continue singing regularly in Recitals and Concerts.

There was also a period when I drove Tourist Coaches!

I produced and directed “The King & I” in Wingham and Wauchope N.S.W. for the Wingham Dramatic Art and Musical Company. The experience of conducting the pit band was another string I added to my bow. I was very much a ‘one man band' in bringing the show together. In the years that followed I was to produce and direct many musicals in Wingham and Taree. Among them were Victor Herbert's “Sweethearts”, “The Glass Slipper”, (a musical based on the Cinderella story), “Carousel” and “Music Man”. As well I was the founder of the Manning Valley Festival of Music in 1974, which resulted from the formation of the Manning Valley Youth Choir and The Manning Valley Choral Society. Later it was renamed The City of Greater Taree Choral Society.

I instigated and made a suggestion to Taree City Council and the Public in 1974, that an Entertainment Centre should be built to accommodate the many music functions and activities of a growing Society. Leading on from this The Manning Entertainment Centre was built. It opened in 1988 with my spectacular production of “The Best of Times” Grand Variety Concert and in 1989 another production of “The King and I”, involving a double cast and over 200 performers.

In my capacity as a Choral Conductor there were many Sacred Cantatas performed locally, on tours to neighbouring towns, to the Cities of Newcastle and Central Sydney . There was a Concert version of Bizet's opera, “Carmen” and the Oratorios “Requiem” by Gabriel Faure and “Messiah” by Handel and Benjamin Britten's “Saint Nicholas.” There was also a locally composed work, “In Praise of Wisdom”.

I also invited tutors from Sydney to give Master classes in Choral work.

For the Salvation Army (Taree Corps) Centenary in 1989 I was recruited to present the modern Cantata “Jubilate” in the Manning Entertainment Centre. I produced the significant work as a Pageant reflecting the work and history of The Salvation Army. I rehearsed and conducted the S.A. Band and augmented Orchestra together with the S.A. Choristers assisted by Greater Taree City Choral Society and The Youth Choir.

The above paragraph gives some insight into my input into the cultural activities of The Manning Valley during the periods I was not actually engaged in Singing. Never the less I was also involved in the Teaching of Singing with Studios in Sydney, Taree, Wauchope / Port Macquarie which I serviced on a weekly basis.

I return now to 1966 when I first joined the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company to sing Figaro in

“The Barber of Seville” on an Arts Council Tour of 4 States and lasting six months. The roles were shared to enable singers to rest every second day.

Returning to Sydney I sang performances of Count di Luna in “Il Trovatore” and also in Melbourne .

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation recorded the performance with me singing di Luna and it was broadcast on the National Programme.

There were also Figaro performances that Season in Sydney and Melbourne.

“Don Pasquale” in 1967, featured June Bronhill singing the Norina role. I sang the role of Dr Malatesta on a shared basis with Ron Maconachie. The Arts Council (Queensland Division) toured the opera in two separate periods. Rehearsals and the main Repertory Opera Season Tour was sandwiched in between.

I was required to sing Marullo in “Rigoletto” and a few scheduled performances of Figaro and Dr Malatesta in Sydney and Melbourne before resuming the “Don Pasquale” tour in Queensland .

The Understudies I took on in 1967 were: Guglielmo in “Cosi fan Tutte”, Rodrigo in “Don Carlos”, Bitterolf in “Tannhauser”, Wolfram in “Tannhauser”, and Tannhauser in “Tannhauser”.

All this, in addition to my regular responsibilities in the Chorus, whenever required.

As a means to ‘proving one's worth' in a Repertory Opera Company, it is normally essential to agree to sing as a chorister for a period of time. One has to be careful not to get ‘stuck' there in the Chorus for several years. But that predicament can suit a lot of less ambitious singers.

Small parts, principal understudies and minor roles are often filled by choristers if that person has potential and can handle the responsibility. When one is contracted, the ‘small print' can often tell you that you are “to perform as directed” by the Management! Managements will use that advantage!!

After a rehearsal period and the Repertoire Seasons were undertaken in Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, then again in Canberra and again Sydney, the “Don Pasquale” Queensland Tour resumed for a period of six and a half weeks before the Company took annual holidays.

Our tour manager for the Arts Council Tours was a German man named Wolfgang Seyd. He was the first to tell me that he could hear a Heldentenor quality developing in my voice. I had mostly sung as a Baritone all my life up to this moment. Some considered me to be a very good Baritone and should never have considered a change. I was about the right age for a change to take place. Heldentenors usually develop from the High Baritone voice at thirty-five years of age. I had just reached 35!

To back up Wolfgang's statement, I received a similar opinion from Stephen Beinl who was a Producer with the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company. He was working on the production of “Tannhauser” in 1967. Kenneth Neate was to sing the title role.

Ken, an Australian, had established himself in Europe over many years and was a regular artist in Wagnerian Opera at Bayreath. I never considered him to have a true Heldentenor voice. His sound had a lighter lyrical quality. But Ken was versatile in the roles he performed. One needs to be if one

wants to make a living. So, returning to Australia to sing Tannhauser, Ken's voice was showing signs of degeneration near the end of a vibrant career. His voice sounded tired.

Consider my heavy workload for the year, as listed at the top of this page. My workload was about to be increased again. The Opera Company was certainly getting good value for my services!

Raymond Myers was to sing the role of Wolfram. As his Understudy I knew he would never give me an opportunity to replace him.

One sunny day at the Rehearsal Studios that were located in Dowling Street, Sydney, I was rehearsing my understudy role of Wolfram with Henri Penn. I felt I knew the music very well. I confidently said to Henri, “I know this role pretty well, let me have a go at Tannhauser for a change!” I was singing for a little while when the door was flung open and into the room flowed Stephen Hagg, John Young and Stephen Beinl. They had rushed down from the Administration floor above to hear whom it was that was singing Tannhauser. Two weeks later I was officially notified that I was no longer the understudy

of Wolfram. I was now the Understudy of Tannhauser and was advised to concentrate all my effort in that direction. I was told also that the man who had been covering the role had had a nervous breakdown while trying to prepare it and he had since left the company.

Predictably, an Understudy rarely, is given production calls sufficient to the needs of the role. In the course of working in other productions, one is expected to observe the moves of the person chosen to sing the role. Be it in the rehearsal room, while performing onstage or observing from the wings.

Somehow you are not expected to get an opportunity to replace the star that might or might not be getting a good monetary reward for his services. So it was that I became Kenneth Neate's Understudy.

I had only been given production rehearsals on Tannhauser's first scene in Act 1, when I was called upon to take over his role.

It happened in 1968. I was undertaking the roles of Scharrone in “Tosca”, Sid in “Girl of the Golden West”, Ping in “Turandot”. I was also the Understudy of the principal tenor role of Calif in “Turandot” and still performing my duties as a Chorister.

I had arrived at Her Majesty's Theatre in Brisbane to sing in “Tannhauser” as a Chorister. It was Saturday evening 25 th May 1968. The Stage-Door man told me that Kenneth Neate wished to speak to me in his dressing room. Ken warned me that he was not feeling well. I should prepare myself to sing his role the following Monday evening. I should see the Company Manager, Doug Abbott, to get permission to watch tonight's performance from the audience. I was filled with dread!

Seating myself in the front stalls I endured the rise of the House Curtain to hear Ken's first vocal utterance. It was a horrible sound. I slid from my seat and under the row of seats in front of me. I knew Ken would not be able to complete the opera. Very soon Doug Abbott came to the row of seats where I had slid to the floor and he beckoned me to follow him back-stage. I was hastily dressed in Ken's Tannhauser costume. Ken had struggled through his first scene. No one knew how he got through it! It was the only scene I had been rehearsed in. Now I was to complete the opera not knowing the stage plot or the complete text. The performance was sung in German. What I couldn't remember, I invented. I took some consolation in the probability that few in a Brisbane audience would understand German. The music I knew very well and that supplied me with the drama to interpret my way to the end. By the time I rendered the Rome Narration (which takes 40 minutes to sing), I was starting to feel I was meant to sing the role. I could feel that my colleagues were helping me through by subtle support from their glances, indicating that I should be in another part of the stage. When they were not themselves required on stage they were taking a ‘peek' from the wings. At the conclusion, the conductor, Maestro Carlo Felice Cillario swept me into his arms and gave me a big hug. I must have given him some anxious moments for which he granted me his forgiveness.

On the following Monday evening the 27 th May I did it all again in its entirety.

Three weeks later the Company was back in Sydney. On 22 nd June at a Matinee in the old Empire Theatre off Railway Square, a performance was rescheduled and I sang the role again to enable the bosses to see me perform the role. Having been given a producer to work with for a week, I at last had direction that gave historical detail and the role became understandable to me.

The audience gave me a prolonged ovation, which must have lasted at least ten minutes.

In an article published in “The Sydney Morning Herald” on Wednesday 3 rd July 1968 the music critic Roger Covell wrote the following extract:

“Kevin Mills, singing the title role in a matinee performance of “Tannhauser” had a voice of considerable fresher timbre than Ken Neate and needed less audible effort to maintain the flow of a phrase. The baritonal colouring of his tenor (he was a baritone before retraining himself as a tenor) makes him potentially apt for the special tone qualities of heroic Wagner singing.

It was in the third act, as if releasing himself from nervousness or apprehension that he began at an altogether higher level of accomplishment. His narration of Tannhauser's Rome pilgrimage was especially impressive in its promise of future development.”

For the following two years I believe I became an embarrassment to the opera company. There were no plans to present Wagnerian opera in the near future. Virtually I became what's known as a “walking understudy”. For two years I was on salary but not required to perform very much—just learn roles suitable to a tenor. I did sing a few minor parts in 1968/9 including Ping in “Turandot”. I Understudied Calif but succeeded to sing the role at a Sitzprobe only. There was Tchelkalov and Jesuit and Schuisky in “Boris Goudonov” in 1969. There was Florestan in “Fidelio” in 1970 conducted by Warwick Braithwaite, who told me he considered my performance of Florestan to be the best he had heard. That comment from such a great conductor was very humbling!

In 1971 I was the Understudy of Otello in “Otello” and was scheduled to sing the role in A.C.T. in the Canberra Theatre Season. I was visiting my family for the weekend when I heard on the news that Her Majesty's Theatre in Sydney had burnt to the ground and all sets and costumes in the current Opera Season had been destroyed in the fire. The “Otello” production was included in the fire and the remainder of the Sydney Season was cancelled. So too, was my opportunity to sing Otello. The opera was cancelled in Canberra and the great chance to launch my career to a higher level of distinction never eventuated.

In reconciliation to the Sydney public for the disruption and abandonment of the Opera Season at Her Majesty's Theatre in Sydney, there were instead Operatic Concerts at the Capital Theatre in the Haymarket area of the city. Later a similar series of Opera Concerts were given in the Palais Theatre at St. Kilda, Melbourne. My contributions to these concerts were two arias by Richard Wagner: Sigmund's Love Song ‘Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond' from “Die Valkure” and Walter's Prize Song ‘Morgenlich leuchtwend inrosigen Schine' from “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg”.

It was perhaps a realistic time for renaming the company as The Australian Opera.

Not knowing what to do with me, the opera management offered me a small scholarship to help me go to Europe for further study. With sufficient cash to buy a return air ticket and my salary reduced by half, I was to consider myself still under contract to The Australian Opera. Off I embarked to Europe.

I caught the 9.30 a.m. flight from Canberra to Sydney. At 10.10 I transferred to International Flight QF741 departing Sydney at Noon. On then to Brisbane and departed there at 14.00 for Singapore. Then calls at Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bahrain and Rome, arriving there at 08.05. At Rome airport an attempt was made to abduct me from the Currency Exchange queue. Two men bargaining cheaper transport into the city had grabbed my luggage and were propelling me towards their vehicle. Fortunately a Police Car arrived with two Policemen who obstructed my abductor's car and I was rescued from a possible kidnapping situation. I was no longer a ‘kid', but I had certainly been caught ‘napping'! .

For three nights in Rome I stayed in a Pensione opposite Trevi Fountain. The daylight hours were spent in exploration of the many delights of that wonderful city of Rome.

I was committed to use some of my Scholarship money by having some coaching with Jani Strasser of Glyndbourne Opera. I had worked with Jani when he was in Sydney as a Guest Repetiteur coaching singers for The Australian Opera. When I contacted him in London, Jani was going through a period of illness. Consequently my work with him was disrupted and in many respects most disappointing in view of his considerable reputation.

Before I started working with Jani I visited Sadlers Wells Opera at the Coliseum Theatre where I had worked for them in 1959. My intention was to say ‘hello' to any former colleagues I might find there. I connected up with Nicholas Braithwaite who was to conduct many of my future Canio performances. He was the son of Warwick Braithwaite (whom I had befriended in Australia.) Warwick had insisted on conducting my Florestan performances, though he had been ill and confined to a hospital bed. I was also to meet Edward Downs, soon to be Sir Edward. Within two weeks I was working with Tom Hammond, Head of Music Staff, on the role of Canio in “Pagliacci”. Donald Smith had been offered the role but he was not able to accept it. It was now offered to me

The Australian Opera management at first refused to grant me a release from my contract with them, but they ultimately agreed to allow me to do Guest Performances, provided I return to them at the end of the engagement. I was to perform three Seasons of “Pagliacci” for Sadlers Wells. (Two Seasons in London, plus a Provincial Tour of England and Scotland.) The Wells had offered me more. Edward Renton offered a five-year Contract, which I was morally banned from accepting because. I was to return to Australia to sing Florestan with Edward Downes conducting “Fidelio. Cillario was to conduct a traditional version of “Pagliacci”.

Having made preliminary arrangements for the proposed “Pagliacci” engagement during the two and a half week period after my arrival in England, I took a train to Glasgow, Scotland, to audition for Peter Hemmings who was then the Director of Scottish Opera. (Later he became a General Manager of The Australian Opera for a limited time.) The Scottish Opera was presenting “Rhinegold” and “Siegfried”. I was invited to attend the performances. They did not make a lasting impression on me. I was too tired to enjoy them

I flew from Glasgow the next morning to the Isle of Man via Belfast. It was a Sunday. Belfast was virtually a war zone. It was there in a hotel dinning room over lunch that I heard English spoken in a most beautiful manner by the Headwaiter. He would never know how impressed I was. Later I learned that a bomb had been exploded and the Hotel was mostly destroyed.

I had a friend living on the Isle of Man. She was June Johnston, whom I had worked with when we both were singing in the Sadlers Wells Opera Chorus in 1959. My brief visit was fully occupied in the exploration of the island and in attending a soiree at Government House. The residents of the isle are very hospitable and socially compulsive. It seemed they try to out-do one another!

Having had two and a half wonderful days I took a ferry to Liverpool and then a train to London.

The Australian Baritone Raymond Myers had invited me to stay for a time in his home at Belsize Park.

I was there when negotiating my fees for the “Pagliacci” performances on the telephone with Edward Renton. I became aware that Ray was listening in on our conversation. He became furious when he heard me negotiate a fee that was three times higher than the fee Sadlers Wells was paying him per performance. I had not expected to be vetted! Ray in a vile mood of jealousy and pique evicted me from his home! It was time to move on.

The Canio performances in London were a few months distant; there was plenty of time to take up my studies in Germany.

Taking a train from London on Saturday 12 th June 1971 I connected with the ferry to cross the Channel and then caught another train to Nuremberg. I booked into Adelman Pension the next day.

On Monday 14 th June I had an appointment with Erich Riede at 11 a.m. Herr. Riede was a prominent Opera conductor throughout Europe. He was to coach me in Wagnerian opera roles at 20 DM per hour. I worked with him each day for two weeks. At that time he was conducting “Die Meistersanger von Nuremberg” in the local Opera House. I attended a performance the night I arrived in Nuremberg. It was some-what provincial in its conception, but I was amazed by the size of the Chorus. I counted six hundred bodies on stage at one time. The singers were drawn from a dozen or more choral groups from the surrounding countryside. I was very impressed with their enthusiasm and vocal ability.

Some years later I was disappointed to realise that Herr. Erich Riede claimed he did not remember me.

He was visiting Australia with Kenneth Neate. Ken assured him that he had worked with me in Nuremberg, but alas, old age and dementure had stripped his mind of memory.

Erich Riede was an associate and friend of Max Lorenz. Lorenz was famous as a Heldentenor. He had sung regularly over many years at Bayreuth and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. At Bayreuth he was particularly a favourite singer of the German Dictator, Adolph Hitler.

Kenneth Neate had put me in touch with this renowned Heldentenor. Ken himself had studied Wagnerian roles with Max. Considering this, I assumed come political politeness was warranted to Ken, so I chose to have a few lessons with him while waiting to start with Lorenz. The experience was of no particular benefit to me in the short or long term.

Lorenz was by now retired from the opera stage and was teaching and coaching Wagner roles to singers, from his home in Munchen and from his holiday house on the fringe of Salzburg.

On auditioning for him I was immediately accepted as a pupil. Excitedly he telephoned Bayreuth and told someone that he had discovered a new Tannhauser. He wanted to know if the person on the other end of the telephone line could call into Salzburg to hear me sing. I was soon to be in Salzburg. It was holiday time and as fortune will dictate, it was not possible to arrange a meeting.

Over a period of four months I had lessons with Lorenz four and five days each week. Soon I had to send home for more money to pay Max's fees of 25 DM per hour of each lesson.

I had been staying in Munchen at Coburg Pension on Franz Joseph Strasser. For two weeks while waiting for my money to be transferred from my Bank in Australia, I struggled. Existing on Continental Breakfasts (which consisted of bread rolls with one hard boiled egg as included in the accommodation tariff). Fortunately my hosts did not press me for payment of rent. But I suspect that they may have given a sigh of relief, as I did, when my money came through and the rent was brought up to date

Next I went to Salzburg by train. Stayed at Pension Doctor Wirt, Aigen, then moved to Joseph Hell Pension Zimmer, Salzberg. Aigen. It was ideally located in an apple orchard beside the Danube River.

My work with Max Lorenz was greatly beneficial to the expansion of my voice. I mainly worked on vocal technique and studied in particular, the Sigmund role in “Die Valkure”.]

A big man, Lorenz had a large stature and a jovial personality. Singing Lessons were never dull. Always there was a laugh to be enjoyed. One day when attending lessons Max was in a flamboyant mood. He appeared with what appeared to be his arms full of jewellery that he then proceeded to drape around himself. There were long strings of pearls, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and all manner of treasure. It reminded me of the Jewel Box scene from Gounod's “Faust”. I could tell that the jewels were real and not imitation stage props. Max said Adolph Hitler had given him the jewellery. It was then to be given to Max's wife, now deceased. (Spoils of War, I wonder?) Max's wife was Jewish and Max claimed that she was spared from the Gas Chambers because of Hitler's love of Wagner and Max's singing of it. It is not certain that Max Lorenz was a Nazi. I doubt that he was. But his close association with the Bayreuth Wagner family brought him into the social circle of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.

By 14 th August 1971 I was back in London, and had moved into a flat in Sussex Street S.W.1. Rehearsals were soon to commence for “Pagliacci” and the opera opened at the London Coliseum on the 29 th September. The Sadlers Wells Opera Company was now renamed The English National Opera.

The John Blatchley version of “Pagliacci” produced in England was a very avant- guarde creation, which attracted considerable criticism when it opened. The critics were reluctant to accept Canio as a broken down TV performer prone to intoxication, who went ‘on the road' with his co-performers who staged their action on an old flat top truck driven onto the stage. By the return season in London the critics better accepted the opera. Generally my performance and voice was favourably accepted. One Critic, (John Warrack of “The Sunday Mail” 3 rd Oct 1971) even compared my performance of Canio to that of Caruso! Though I feel sure Mr. Warrack possibly had never heard Caruso, other than on record!!

The contrast between the two versions I was involved with, (John Blatchley's in London and Stephen Hall's in Sydney) could not have been more marked!

Given only one rehearsal in Sydney of the traditional version, (the producer did not bother to take me through the entire opera.) I was sadly disadvantaged in a production that had been running for some time and sung in the Italian language. Two weeks previously I had sung the opera in English. Though I coped with the change in language, the result for me turned out to be a fiasco when the singer playing Nedda, complained to the management that I was too violent in the role of Canio!! I frightened her, she objected!

Wishing I had stayed on in England in view of the five year Contract that Edward Renton had advised me to accept, I was keen to clarify my position with The Australian Opera. The AO Administrators, Donald Macdonald and Moffat Oxenbould had made a promise to me that I would be declared to be a Principal Singer with the Company on my return from my studies in Europe. Now that I had returned, they told me the Company had “misplaced' many hundreds of thousands of dollars and they were unable to take me on as a Principal! If I wished to remain with the Company I would be required to resume my position as a Chorister in the Australian Opera Chorus! Ironically my so-called Contract that they had used against me to bring me back to Australia was about to expire. I resigned!!

It was not long before there were big changes made to the Administration of The Australian Opera. As well there were big changes made to the English National Opera. One Administrator died and another was too ill to be responsibly maintained in his position. It was not an appropriate time for me to return to England. Instead I moved to Brisbane in Queensland and took a position as a Tenor and as a trainee in Opera Administration with The Queensland Opera Company.

Arriving in Brisbane just prior to Christmas 1972 the weather was so very hot and humid. There were several weeks to fill before my new job would be available. Never the less, my new boss to be, John Thompson the Manager of Queensland Opera, arranged for me to obtain work with Twelfth Night Theatre as Stage Director for their current production of “Winnie the Pooh”. Another experience and another string added to my bow!

With Queensland Opera in 1973, I was to sing again the role of Canio in “Pagliacci” for seasons in Brisbane and at the Innisfail Festival 1973. There were Schools Tours of metropolitan and country areas of the children's opera “Strange Adventures of Marco Polo”, in which I sang duel roles of Maffeo and Kubli Khan. I sang too the role of The Italian in Ebert's “Angelique” and 35 performances of Pinkerton in Madam Butterfly”.

As part of my responsibilities as a trainee Opera Administrator I attended the Summer School of Theatre and Drama at John Flynn University in Northern Queensland. Part of the curriculum requirement was for students to create their own artistic piece of theatre. I composed a Mini Opera.

On writing the lyrics and music I then directed two singers in the staging of the Mini Opera that I had called “Neglected Nelya”. It was a cameo piece based on the unhappy lives of a migrant couple from

The Ukraine, who were trying to re-establish themselves in the Outback of Australia.

Working with the Queensland Opera was enjoyable but among the personable colleagues were a few who were potential adversaries. John Thompson, the Company Director asked me to do what I could to bring the other artists in the Company in-line with and under the influence of Actors Equity. I was the only person in QOC, who was a member of the theatre performer's Union. It was sometimes an unpleasant task to gain the interest of folk who previously had no intentions or need to join Actors Equity. Occasionally there were repercussions, but eventually I helped to raise the professional status of the singers and the Queensland Opera Company as well.

In 1974 I sang the tenor role of Saint Nicholas in Benjamin Britten's oratorio “Saint Nicholas” in Saint John's Cathedral in Brisbane. At a later time I presented this oratorio to the peoples of Taree and the Mid North Coast of N.S.W. with myself singing the title role while also conducting my City of Greater Taree Choral Society.

Also in 1974 there were excerpts from Gilbert & Sullivan Operas to sing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at Brisbane City Hall. There was also the Watkin Shaw version of “Messiah” with Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Both occasions were conducted by Patrick Thomas and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

There were several opportunities to sing both the Bass and the Tenor solos in Handel's “Messiah” between 1974 and 1992. These took place in Leeton 1974, Cronulla 1975 and at St.John's Cathedral, North Adelaide in 1992 during the time of my voice transition. Later, I trained my Choral Society together with Combined Churches Choirs, for presentations of “Messiah” to the citizens of Taree and surrounding towns on the Mid North Coast of N.S.W.

At the conclusion of my engagement with QOC I returned home to Taree where I had built a house in Cundletown for the use of my parents. To bring in some money I gave singing lessons to local folk.

Then I was engaged by the Adelaide Festival Theatre Trust to sing for their Gilbert & Sullivan Season at Adelaide's Festival Theatre. I sang Guiseppi in “The Gondoliers”, (a role I had sung in 1956 for the Victorian Council of Adult Education) and Pish Tush in “The Mikado”. Both the operas were filmed by the South Australian Film Corporation and were given general release in cinemas.

Returning again to Taree I resumed teaching singing and my involvement in Directing and the Conducting of Choral works and Musicals.

Eventually I returned to The Australian Opera where I remained for several years. I was granted one month's ‘leave of absence' during 1983 to attend the Bayreuther Festspiele in Germany. As a member of the Sydney Wagnerian Society at that time, I was accorded tickets to the Season of Richard Wagner Operas at Bayreuth. Werner Baer and his wife Sybil were our Escorts and the Tour was a wonderful experience for all who participated in it. For the first time I was able to see the entire “Ring Cycle” plus “Parsifal” and “Der Meistersanger von Nuremberg”. The treasured memory of that occasion will last forever!.

My quest to be recognised as a Heldentenor capable of singing principal Wagnerian Roles had by now become eroded. Since my Tannhauser induction in 1968 there had been many opportunities to sing as a Tenor for almost twenty years. The Australian Opera seemed determined to use me mainly as a principal Understudy. Prior to my trip to Beyreuth in 1983 there was a long list of understudies as well as small parts and occasionally, major ones. Among them were: Arnfelt in “A Masked Ball” 1976,

The Innkeeper (Understudy) in “The Cunning Little Vixen” 1976, The Innkeeper, also Marchalin's Major Domo in “Der Rosencavalier”1976, Fortune Teller in “Lakme” 1976, Messenger in “Aida” 1977

Both Registrar and Goro in “Madam Butterfly”1977 & 1979, Abdullo in “Nabucco” 1978 & 1980.

It was not until 1978 & 1979 that I was involved again in a Wagnerian Opera. This was again “The Mastersingers of Nuremberg” in which I jokingly complied with filling a space on-stage as Eislinger, one of the Mastersingers. He had comparatively little to do, or sing!

In 1978 there was Trabuco (Understudy) in “La Forza del Destino,” 2nd Citizen in “Yeomen of the Guard”, Andres, Cochinelle, Franz and Pittichnaccio (all Understudies) in “Tales of Hoffman.

Also in 1978 and 1981, I sang 1 st Jew in “Salome” and covered the role of Herod in “Salome” 1978.

There was the role of Staveling in “Midsummer Nights Dream” in 1978 & 1980. Mr Upford The Mayor (Understudy) in “Albert Herring” 1979, Kromolf (Understudy) in “The Merry Widow” 1979,

Florestan (Understudy) in “Fidelio”1979, Bardolfo (Understudy) in “Falstaff 1980.” There was Borsa in “Rigoletto” 1981, Ringmaster in “Bartered Bride” 1981 & 1982, Tinca in “Il Tabaro” 1982, Fatty in “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” 1982, 2 nd Priest in “The Magic Flute” 1982, Schuisky in “Boris Goudonov”1982, Dr. Caius in “Falstaff” 1982,Bystander and Boris in “Katya Kabanova” 1983.

In Sydney I was invited by one of my pupils to be the Tenor Soloist in “The Nelson” Mass in D minor at St. Mary's Cathedral in 1983.

I covered the role of Siegfried for the A.B.C. Concert performance of “Gotterdammerung” at the Sydney Opera House. I almost got the opportunity of singing the role. Another missed opportunity!

There were Studio Recitals broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from the early days

of “Young Australia” programmes, from Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, that I gave from time to time and over many years. Added to these one should mention innumerable Concerts in obscure regions of the country to which a singer gets invited, in a career spanning his lifetime.

Being a member of The Music Teachers Association and ANATS, I had attended Annual Conferences in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Canberra A.C.T. and South Australia.

I attended the 2 nd World Congress Symposium of Teachers of Singing in Philadelphia, U.S.A. in 1989.

There was also an Annual Conference of NEWZATS that I attended in Tauranga N.Z. in 1997.

At various points of time during my busy schedule of activity while touring to our capital cities, I continued to teach singing from my Sydney Studio whenever possible.

After my visit to Bayreuth it was potently clear to me that my work and loyalty to The Australian Opera over nearly twenty years was not about to be rewarded by their further support of any potential that I might have to be a prominent singer of Wagnerian Opera. When setting out on the long career road in pursuit of my original aim to become a leading Operatic Artist, I was unaware of the many deviations and obstructions there were to be encountered along the way. I concluded that there must be another way of life for me to enjoy outside the disciplines and the dedication required of an operatic career. Considering the twilight years now approaching apace, I again tendered my resignation from The Australian Opera on 4th March 1984. Six month's notice was required, but by mutual agreement the time was reduced to about three months.

I was asked to return to the Company in 1988 for Locum performances in Sydney and Melbourne of 1 st Priest in “The Magic Flute” and 3rd Jew in “Salome”. The engagement was a virtual holiday!

My life continued, though I was no longer singing in Opera. However there was an economic downturn in the country that was caused by a recession. The circumstances prompted me to immigrate to Adelaide where I soon was offered a job as Lecturer in Voice at the Elder Conservatorium of Music,

University of Adelaide.

While living in Adelaide my talents were very soon utilised. I appeared as John Dory in “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie” during an outdoor performance to many thousands of people in the Parkland beside the Torrens River. It took place during the Adelaide Festival of Arts.

For the Gilbert and Sullivan Society S.A. I sang the role of Uncle Simperson in “Engaged” 1992 in Scott's Theatre, University of Adelaide.

During the Barossa Valley Festival 1992, stepping into an emergency situation, I sang the Bass Aria in “Cantata #182” by Bach. The tessitura of the vocal line was lower than I had ever before attempted, but I was able to sustain a convincing performance.

I gave a Recital with the Adelaide pianist Robin Hicks in 1993 at Brighton. There was also a Lunch Hour Recital with Jeffrey Kong as my Accompanist, held at Flinders University, S.A.1994.

Jeffrey and I gave a follow-up Recital at Cumberland Park also in 1994.

While living and teaching privately in Adelaide for about six years I periodically held special Music Soirees to introduce my singing pupils to the public and give them performing experience.

Once established as a private teacher in Adelaide and my credentials from the Music Teachers Association were accepted, I enjoyed a three-year term of employment at Elder Conservatorium of Music as Lecturer in Voice, Voice Assessment and Examiner, from 1992 to 1994 (inc).

I was then offered a position as a Singing Teacher at NASDA (National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art) in Christchurch, New Zealand. I worked with some of that country's finest young singers in my capacity as Lecturer in Voice and Musical Theatre Repertoire. I returned to Australia in 1997 where, encouraged by my family, I again took up residence in Taree. I remain there today in retirement.

Looking back over more than seventy years, I have not been able to achieve all that I wished to do when I was young and naïve with aspirations to succeed in my chosen quest. There have been

many disappointments and ‘bumps' along the roads I have travelled. But ultimately, I achieved far more than I originally intended or imagined.

At the Manning Entertainment Centre Taree, on the 10th June 2004, during the Manning Valley Festival of Arts 2004, Dame Joan Sutherland made a public presentation to KEVIN MILLS on behalf of Greater Taree City Council. The “Visual and Performing Arts Award” was presented in recognition of his special contributions to Cultural Development in the City of Greater Taree.

The end, and a new beginning!

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