On this night in 1951 Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors premiered on television.

Born on this day in 1824 composer Peter Cornelius (with music for the holiday).

Born on this day poet George Crabbe (1754), dramatist and librettist Eugène Scribe (1791), sopranos Lucrezia Bori (1887) and Teresa Stich-Randall (1927), dancer and choreographer Robert Joffrey (1930) and baritone Richard Cowan (1957).

Born on this day in 1922 actress (and occasional singer) Ava Gardner.