On this day in 2002 tenor Salvatore Licitra made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Cavardossi. On this day in 1881 Smetana’s Libuse premiered in Prague
Birthday anninversaries of composer William Grant Still (1895) and soprano Bidu Sayao (1902).
Happy birthday to bass Arnold Voketaitis (88), composer Judith Weir (64) and tenor Giuseppe Sabbatini (61.)
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.
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.
