Mmes. Channing and Bankhead are pictured at the 1951 “Celebrity of the Year” ceremony, which, you guessed it, was won by Gloria Swanson (center).

On this day in 1974 Verdi”s I Vespri Siciliani had its first onstage Metropolitan Opera performance.

Birthday anniversaries of librettist Felice Romani (1788), composer Franz Schubert (1797) and tenor Mario Lanza (1921).

Happy 85th birthdays administrator Speight Jenkins and composer Philip Glass.