On this day in 1986 baritone Thomas Hampson made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count Almaviva.

Bill Zakariasen in the New York Daily News:

Debuting baritone Thomas Hampson was outstanding as the Count-he’s very tall and handsome, a fine actor, and his good-sized voice was handled with an adroit technique that made child’s play of the role’s demands.

Born on this day in 1835 composer Camille Saint-Saens.