WindyCityOperaman
Dan Soda (Windy City Operaman) is a Chicago native whose first visit to opera was at age 17 and Massenet’s Werther with Troyanos and Kraus. Nothing was ever the same. Opera and concert performances, recordings and video are an obsession. He prepares Parterre Box’s daily birthday and anniversary tributes. He also enjoys concerts, live theater and movies.
Broadway floperetta Arms and the Girl closed on this day in 1950, lasting only 134 performances despite a cast headed by Nanette Fabray and Pearl Bailey.
On this day in 1964 Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne‘s musical Fade Out-Fade In opened at the Mark Hellinger Theater to run 271 performances.
Born on this day in 1929 soprano and administrator Beverly Sills.
On this day in 1966 Jerry Herman‘s musical Mame opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, to run 1,508 performances.
On this day in 1963 The Leopard directed by Luchino Visconti won the Cannes Palme d’Or.
Born on this day in 1813 composer Richard Wagner.
On this day in 1973 the film Day for Night premiered at Cannes.
On this day in 1981 Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music opened at the Nederlander Theatre to run 333 performances.
On this day in 1965 the Kander-Ebb musical Flora, the Red Menace opened at the Alvin Theatre, to run 87 performances.
Born on this day in 1922 actress (and, somewhat less frequently, director) Nancy Walker.
On this day in 1958 the psychological thriller Vertigo was released.
On this day in 1946 the Metropolitan Opera presented La Gioconda on tour in Chicago.
On this day in 2017 the Metropolitan Opera celebrated 50 years at Lincoln Center.
Born on this day in 1895 actor Rudolph Valentino.
On this day in 1927 the Metropolitan Opera presented La forza del destino on tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
On this day in 1944 MGM released the melodrama Gaslight.
On this day in 2006 tenor Klaus Florian Vogt made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Lohengrin.
Born on this day in 1895 lyricist Lorenz Hart.
On this day in 1941 Citizen Kane premiered at the Palace Theater in New York City.
On this day in 1989 the Metropolitan Opera broadcast L’elisir d’amore.
On this day in 1965, My Name is Barbra premiered on CBS.
On this day in 2013, the Metropolitan Opera revived Vec Makropulos starring Karita Mattila.
On this day in 2007 the Metropolitan Opera Debut of tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Almaviva.
On this day in 1926 Puccini’s opera Turandot premiered in Milan.