 She repeated the role for her debut with the San Francisco Opera the following year, and in 1988 portrayed Clara in that opera for her debut with the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee.In 1989 she sang a program of works by Richard Strauss with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.McMillian's first major success was her debut performance at the New York City Opera (NYCO) in 1990 as Mimi in Giacomo Puccini's "La bohème".