Mildred Miller

Mildred Miller Posvar (December 16, 1924 – November 29, 2023) was an American classical mezzo-soprano who had a major career performing in operas, concerts, and recitals during the mid twentieth century.

She is a Gold Medal recipient from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and held honorary degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, the New England Conservatory, Bowling Green State University, and Washington & Jefferson College.

In 1946 she made her opera debut as one of the nieces in the United States premiere of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes at the Tanglewood Music Festival; a production which was conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

In 1950 she married Wesley Posvar, a U.S. Air Force officer and World War II test pilot who was studying in Europe on a Rhodes Scholarship.

This was notably the first performance that the mezzo-soprano used the name "Mildred Miller", as Bing had suggested that a different name would counter any potential anti-German sentiment arising, after the World War, which might be stimulated by the German name "Müller".

Among the many roles she portrayed at the house were Annina and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Feodor in Boris Godunov, Magdalene in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Meg Page in Falstaff, Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann, the Page in Salome, Preziosilla, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Rosette in Manon, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, the Second Lady in The Magic Flute, the Second Esquire in Parsifal, Siebel in Faust, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and the title role in Carmen.

Her final and 338th performance at the Met was on December 3, 1974 as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana with Elinor Ross as Santuzza, Harry Theyard as Turiddu, and John Nelson conducting.

The couple served as the first family of the University of Pittsburgh for nearly 25 years and shared an eclectic life of military assignments, world travel, and academic and artistic pursuits.