On this day in 1959 Alban Berg’s Wozzeck had its Metropolitan Opera premiere.

On this day in 1856 the second Royal Opera House Covent Garden theatre was destroyed by fire.

On this day in 1868 Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele premiered in Milan.

Birthday anniversaries of composers William Shield (1748), Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887) and Anthony Hedges (1931), tenors Alessio De Paolis (1893) and Josip Gostic (1900), and sopranos Gitta Alpar (1903) and Sylvia Stahlman (1929).

Happy birthday to parterre box scribe Todd Koenig.