Mignon Dunn

The mezzo-soprano Mignon Dunn died on June 28 at age 98. After attending her first opera, Carmen, at age 10, Dunn resolved to become an opera singer and, in her late teens, earned a scholarship from the Metropolitan Opera to study voice in New York. Dunn made her professional debut in 1955 at New Orleans Opera, as Carmen — a role she would go on to sing more than 400 times. Engagements with New York City Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago followed, and, in 1958, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Nurse in Boris Godunov. She sang more than 650 times over 35 years with the Met, where her repertoire included Amneris in Aida, Fricka in the Ring cycle, Klytämnestra in Elektra, and Kostelnicka in Jenůfa. After retiring from a stage career that also brought her to Europe’s major houses, Dunn taught voice at Manhattan School of Music from 1985 to 2023 as well as at several other institutions.

Elizabeth Elliott

Elizabeth Elliott, founding artistic director of Opera Fort Collins, died in July. After pursuing a singing career on the East Coast, Elliott moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, in the mid-1970s, and, seeing the need for a local opera company, established Opera Fort Collins there in 1979. The company operated under the auspices of OpenStage Theatre and Company from 1981 to 1990 before becoming an independent organization in 1991, with Elliott as its first artistic director. Elliott also helped found the Larimer Chorale Society and is credited with fostering other local arts organizations, including the Fort Collins Symphony and Canyon Concert Ballet.

Rob Herriott

The Canadian stage director Rob Herriot, known for his work in opera and musical theater across North America, died on July 3 at age 60. Herriot enjoyed a long association with Manitoba Opera, where his recent directing credits included La Cenerentola (2022), Così fan tutte (2023), and The Marriage of Figaro (2026). He also staged productions at Nuova Vocal Arts, Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, and Livermore Valley Opera, among other companies.

Erie Mills

The soprano Erie Mills, artistic director of Livermore Valley Opera, died on June 23 at age 73. From the late 1970s to the early 2000s, the celebrated coloratura enjoyed a stage career at houses including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, La Scala, and the Vienna State Opera. She conquered a wide swath of the coloratura repertoire and made signature roles of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Cunegonde in Candide. A dedicated pedagogue and mentor, Mills served as professor of music at San José State University from 1998 to 2008 and as an English diction coach for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Santa Fe Opera, and the Met. She became Livermore Valley Opera’s artistic director in 2016, and is credited with expanding the company’s repertoire, raising its artistic standards, and elevating its profile in the Bay Area. From 2004 to 2010, she served on the board of OPERA America, becoming the first singer to do so.

Jamie J. Offenbach

Jamie J. Offenbach, artistic director of Hawai’i Opera Theatre, died on July 10 at age 62. Offenbach, a bass-baritone, studied at The Juilliard School and became an apprentice artist at LA Opera before making his Hawai’i Opera Theatre debut in 2002, as Zuniga in Carmen. He went on to appear in numerous productions with the company, delivering his final performances as Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro (2020) and Colas in Bastien & Bastienne (2021). Offenbach took on the role of artistic advisor to the company before becoming artistic director. During his tenure, he helped create HOT’s pandemic-era digital season, directed the company’s 2024 Pagliacci, and established the cabaret-style performance series STUDIO101. ■