Veronica Reed

Veronica Reed, born Friday, June 20, 1941 passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020. The cause of death (cancer) was very recently diagnosed, and her decline was quick. She was preceded in death by her parents and half-sister Amy Tavener and is survived by her husband, LeRoy Lehr; her children, Dana McMullan (wife Pamela), Robin McMullan (spouse Paul Stroh); grandchildren, August and Caley McMullan; and stepchildren, Cindy Lehr (husband Steve Brill), Steven and Kelly Lehr. Veronica was born in Boston but grew up in New Mexico and was a graduate of Albuquerque High and UNM, where she met her first Husband, Bruce McMullan. After her graduation they moved to Hanover, New Hampshire, where they spent 19 years. After their divorce, she moved to New York City to pursue her career as an Opera Stage Director. Through opera she met her second husband LeRoy Lehr, a bass soloist at the Metropolitan Opera. They married in 1984 and lived in New York City until his retirement in 2010, after which they moved to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Veronica Reed saw her first Opera at the Santa Fe Opera in 1964 . She jokes, "And that ruined my life." She began working at SFO as Dresser in 1968. Always active in theater, chorus, piano and musicals, and armed with a BFA in Dramatic Arts from University of New Mexico, since then she has worked as as an actor, dramatic coach, designer, and director in theater and musical comedy, as well as an Opera Stage Director. Following a National Opera Institute Internship in Stage Directing and Goldovsky Leadership Training Program, Veronica worked for seven seasons (1971 to 1978) as a Stage Director for the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Training Program while directing in New York and regional opera companies. As an opera Stage Director, she directed productions of Ariadne au/ Naxos, Carmen, Die Fledermaus, Don Pasquale, Eugene Onegin, Faust, L'Ajo Nel' Imbarazzo (Donizetti), The Magic Flute, Merry Wives of Windsor, Tales of Hoffmann, Tosca, and Zazd (Leoncavallo). She also served as Artistic Director for a small touring company, Associated Opera Artists of Vermont, Inc. which brought opera in scenes with professional singers to outreaches of Northern New England. In addition, Veronica Reed is a full Writer member of A.S.C.A.P., and has English versions of opera published and/or performed, including including Zaza (Leoncavallo), Undine (Lortzing), Agenzia Matrimoniale (R. Hazon ), Taming of the Shrew (Goetz), and a Kalmus score of Offenbach's Le Mariage Aux Lanternes ((Offenbach), which was also performed at Manhattan School of Music and conducted by SFO's John Crosby. Until retirement to New Mexico with her husband, Metropolitan Opera Bass LeRoy Lehr, she also worked on the staff of the Metropolitan Opera Guild and as a volunteer with the MOG's acclaimed The Opera Experience program. Veronica and LeRoy remain dedicated to promoting Opera through education.

Veronica had been Executive Assistant to the Director of the Metropolitan Opera Guild, directed opera throughout the USA, and, in the 1970’s, directed some of the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Scenes. Veronica was very active at UNM, where she served on the Alumni Board and the Lobo Living Room Committee, and at Santa Fe Opera, as a member of the SF Opera Guild Education Committee. She was known and loved for her engaging personality, her energy and generosity of spirit, and her presence will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers please make donations to The Veronica Memorial Scholarship at UNM for Studies in Opera.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2021, 1:30 p.m. at The UNM Alumni Chapel , There are two major street intersections near the chapel, University Blvd NE and Las Lomas Rd NE; and University Blvd NE and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. NE. Services will be livestreamed  for those who are unable to attend . A Reception will follow at 3:00 p.m. at The Kosmos Restaurant, 1715 5th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Livestream link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rra6V6lPhDw