ROBERT MICHAEL HERRIOT

Imagine our shock. Imagine our pain. Robert Michael Herriot, while home alone, and without any warning… simply fell asleep and never woke up. He left us on July 3rd, 2026.

Because of his extraordinary sense of humor we keep thinking he’ll pop out from under a table, or from behind a door, and with his brilliant tenor voice say: “aha…fooled ya!” He took such joy in bringing joy to others.

He will be really missed by so many. Most of all though, by his husband Larry (Lars) Treloar. Together they were pure joy … they found each other late in life, and went on to have a perfect marriage. They were never seen apart. In a phone call just hours before his passing Rob told the guy he loved just how perfect he thought life was because they were together, one soul, two bodies. They constantly laughed together, shared without hesitation, loved without judgement.

It wasn’t just Lars, he shared love and joy with his entire family, and with a huge circle of friends. His 3 sisters, Barbara Herriot-Miller (Ted), Nancy Militano (Carmine) and Mary Deane (Brian) have had a brother they cherished and were so proud of.

And his sisters’ families all adored their Uncle Rob! Anthony Militano (Cathryn), Kaitlyn Militano, Kacey Deane (Dylan), their son Nando, Danny Militano (Devynn) … they are all devastated and will miss him so much.

Daughter Tanis Edmonds (Paul) and grandchildren Jayme and Nolan simply cannot stand the thought of being without him. “Who’s going to make us laugh now?”

Rob had a very special relationship with his dear friend Mariam Bernstein and her family, Miranda & Cinna … they really loved him and made him a real part of their family.

Rob had a brilliant career. With huge encouragement and support from his late parents, Robert and Mary Herriot (O’Sullivan), Rob completed his Masters Degree In Voice from the University of Toronto. His Dad had recognized his rich tenor voice … a voice so loud that neighbors tended to close windows! He supported his son in his singing education and was so proud of his achievements.

Rob’s career was off to a bright start both in musical theatre and in opera. He was an amazing tenor with a naturally witty performance. He shone on both stages, but it was his first love of opera that lead him to international acclaim. Starting as a singer, and soon becoming an opera stage director. He loved and was a star director. Rob was soon recognized with respect and admiration … big stages in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Newfoundland … Salt Lake City, California, Arizona … the list is long!

Under his direction, cast were keen to learn from him, and always reported that he was so much fun to work with! He could be serious, opera had only one level of acceptable performance … it had to be perfect!

His career wasn’t anywhere near over, he has left us far too soon! In the last 6 months Rob’s work was viewed by well over 20,000 people on stages in Vancouver, Livermore, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. He was scheduled to begin work on a new production in Toronto on July 13th.

Rob had another passion outside of opera … that was aircraft and flying. Rob could actually use his voice to imitate the sound of many different airplanes both in take off, and especially in landing. He could identify the type of aircraft by these sounds. He constructed by hand, a complete replica of the Winnipeg Airport in the basement of his home on Waverley Street. Dozens of model airplanes and hundreds of aircraft memorabilia remain in his collection today.

We cannot close this tribute to Robert Herriot’s wonderful life on earth, without mentioning his incredible ability to imitate others with that magic voice of his, his out of control wit … and his terrible choreography!! None of us were spared! He could pretty much replicate all of our voices and mannerisms. When not mimicking one of us, he’d use any one of his fake characters to entertain us. They lived on in his head much like a soap opera. They all had names.

Rob celebrated his 60th birthday on May 27th.

“We’ll always love you to bits Rob, Robbie, Uncle Rob … brother Rob, husband Rob!”

Rob had a serious dedication to the development of new emerging artists, loving his mentoring gigs in Edmonton and Toronto. It is that passion for the continual growth and development of opera performance that motivated his family and his opera buddies to create the “Robert Herriot Memorial Fund for Emerging Artists”, dedicated to casting young emerging artists in opera.

Donations to the Robert Herriot Memorial Fund at the Little Opera Company can be made through their website : www.littleopera.ca and follow the links. Cheques made payable to the Robert Herriot Memorial Fund can be mailed to: 

Little Opera Company, 

234 Yale Avenue 

Winnipeg, MB 

R3M 0L9

A celebration of life is to take place at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 13th at Westworth United Church, located at 1750 Grosvenor at Lanark, Winnipeg. 

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