On this day in 1938, the Archbishop of Dubuque, Francis J. L. Beckman, denounced swing music as “a degenerated musical system… turned loose to gnaw away at the moral fiber of young people,” warning that it leads down a “primrose path to hell.” Born on this day in 1824 librettist Antonio GhislanzoniBorn on this day in 1825 composer Johann Strauss JrBorn on this day in 1838 composer Georges BizetBorn on this day in 1891 conductor Karl ElmendorffBorn on this day in 1926 soprano Galina VishnevskayaBorn on this day in 1926 soprano Anita VälkkiBorn on this day in 1940 soprano Hana JankuHappy 72nd birthday contralto Ortrun WenkelBorn on this day in 1943 tenor Giuliano Ciannella
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On this day in 1938, the Archbishop of Dubuque, Francis J. L. Beckman, denounced swing music.
WindyCityOperaman
Dan Soda (Windy City Operaman) is a Chicago native whose first visit to opera was at age 17 and Massenet’s Werther with Troyanos and Kraus. Nothing was ever the same. Opera and concert performances, recordings and video are an obsession. He prepares Parterre Box’s daily birthday and anniversary tributes. He also enjoys concerts, live theater and movies.
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Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
