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.
Happy 88th birthday actress and singer Rita Moreno.
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MILA comes to New York and San Francisco
Sung in English, Cantonese and Tagalog, Mila explores the cultural diversity of Hong Kong at New York’s Angel Orensanz Center (Dec. 7) and San Francisco’s Wilsey Center for Opera (Dec. 12). The hour-long opera is the creation of Eli Marshall, Candace Chong and Chu Hei Chan, with music director Neal Goren.
On this day in 1910 Puccini’s La fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Met.
On this day in 1905 Richard Strauss’s Salome premiered in Dresden.
On this day in 1949 the Jule Styne musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre, making a star of Carol Channing and running 740 performances.
Born on this day in 1900 actress Agnes Moorehead.
On this day in 1890 the first complete performance of Les Troyens was given in Karlsruhe.
On this day in 1893 soprano Nellie Melba made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lucia.
On this day in 1983 soprano Aprile Millo made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amelia Boccanegra.
On this day in 1962 conductor Ernest Ansermet made his in-house Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Pelléas and Mélisande.
Born on this day in 1895 film choreographer and director Busby Berkeley.
On this day in 1934 torch singer Libby Holman moaned the Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz standard “You and the Night and the Music” on the opening night of the musical Revenge with Music.
On this day in 1951 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Aida, which featured the debut of African-American dancer Janet Collins.
On this day in 1961 soprano Joan Sutherland made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lucia.
On this day in 1959 Once Upon a Mattress transfered to the Alvin Theatre. The show, by composer Mary Rodgers, ran 450 performances and made a star of Carol Burnett.
Born on this day in 1848 soprano Lilli Lehmann. On this day in 1938 tenor Jussi Bjoerling made his Met debut as Rodolfo. Mafalda Favero also made her debut as Mimi.
On this day in 1903 Enrico Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Duke of Mantua.
Born on this day in 1913 composer Benjamin Britten.
On this day in 1967 conductor Herbert von Karajan bowed at the Metropolitan Opera conducting and directing Die Walküre.
On this day in 1966 the landmark concept musical Cabaret opened at the Broadhurst Theatre to run 1,165 performances.
On this day in 1962 soprano Régine Crespin made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin.
On this day in 1974 tenor José Carreras made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Cavardossi.
On this day in 1975 soprano Roberta Peters celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Metropolitan Opera debut, singing Despina.
On this day in 1981 Stephen Sondheim‘s Merrily We Roll Along opened at the Alvin Theatre, to run 16 performances.
