On this day in 1974 Britten’s Death in Venice had its American Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera. Tenor Peter Pears and baritone John Shirley-Quirk made their debuts.

Birthday anniversaries of composer Baldassare Galuppi (1706), actress and singer Lotte Lenya (1898), conductor Otto Ackermann (1909), tenor Alexander Young (1920), soprano Camilla Williams (1922) and baritone Barry McDaniel (1930).

Happy birthdays to sopranos Berit Lindholm (86), Catarina Ligendza (83), Margarita Castro Alberty (73); and tenor Henry Price (75).

Happy birthday to parterre box scribe/pâtissier Christian Ocier.