Baritone RIHARDS MILLERS obtained a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the Latvian Academy of Music (class of Prof. Anita Garanča, lecturer Krišjānis Norvelis). From 2011 to 2012 he studied in Rome under Professor Anna Maria Ferrante as part of the Erasmus student exchange program. He has improved his vocal skills through master-classes with Axel Everaert, Joy Mammen, Nathalie Stutzmann, Lieve Jansen, Dmitry Vdovin, and Inga Kalna.

He is a two-time winner of the Alfreds Kalnins' International Competition of Young Vocalists (2005, 2009). In 2008, he won 1st place in the State Competition for Vocal Music Students in the Latvian Music Secondary School education program, and in 2007 and 2013, he took 2nd place in the Alīda Vāne International Young Vocalists Competition. In 2014, he was awarded the JVLMA and Swedbank Prize for creative achievements in 2013. In 2015, he won 3rd place and a special prize for the best interpretation of F. Schubert’s Ave Maria at the Klaudia Taeva International Young Opera Singers Competition in Estonia.

He became a soloist and scholarship recipient of the Latvian National Opera Academy, supported by the Ināra and Boriss Teterev Foundation.

Since 2014, Rihards Millers has been a soloist with the Latvian National Opera, with roles that include Poisson in F. Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur, Cascada in F. Lehár's Die lustige Witwe, Dandini in G. Rossini's Cinderella, Masetto in W. A. Mozart's Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in W. A. Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Falke in J. Strauss's Die Fledermaus, Carlino in G. Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Jip the dog in J. Lūsēns's The Birds’ Opera, Marullo in G. Verdi's Rigoletto, Valdis in A. Maskats's Valentina, Pantalone in S. Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges, Fiorello in G. Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Geronte’s Property Housekeeper in G. Puccini's Manon Lescaut, Marco in G. Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Apparition in G. Verdi's Macbeth, Builder in Ē. Ešenvalds’ opera The Immured, among others.

Rihards Millers also participates in other musical projects outside the Latvian National Opera. Collaborating with conductors such as Sigvards Kļava, Aigars Meri, Viesturs Gailis, Jānis Zirnis, Ivars Cinkuss, Andrejs Jansons, and Lukas Groen (Estonia), he performs large-scale works and participates in musical productions.

Photo: Gundars Bergs