Background
Born in Stafford, where his father was a surgeon, Milnes attended Rugby School and studied history at Christ Church, Oxford University, before working in publishing.
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Rodney Milnes
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Christ Church.
Career
He wrote under the professional name of Rodney Milnes. Milnes was the opera critic for Harpers and Queen (1970-1990), opera critic of The Spectator (1988-1990), Evening Standard (1990-1992), and Chief Opera Critic The Times (1992–2002). He was associate editor of Opera from 1976, deputy editor from 1984, and editor between 1986-1999.
There he honed his reputation as a "trenchant and entertaining writer, with a strong background in literature and theatre, and wide musical sympathies".
In his final editorial for Opera, Milnes wrote:
Milnes translated various operas under his original name, including Rusalka, The Jacobin, Osud, Don Chischiotte, Pollicino, Undine, Giovanna d"Arco, Die drei Pintos and Tannhäuser. Milnes contributed entries on Massenet and his operas in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
He was consultant editor for the Viking Opera Guide, and revised and updated A Concise History of Opera in 1987. He was a contributor to Opera on Record Volume(s) 1 (Carmen), Volume(s) 2 (Thais and Don Quichotte) and Volume(s) 3 (The stage works of Weill).
Foreign British Broadcasting Corporation radio he was a regular contributor to the Building a Library feature in Record Review.
In Just the part and In Repertory he talked to opera singers about particular roles they have made their own, and in 2001 introduced a 14-part series Performing Verdi. Milnes was a Knight of the Order of the White Rose. In January 2002 he was awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to journalism and music
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Born
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Died
December 5, 2015 (aged 79) -
Nationality
English