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.
Born on this day in 1920 soprano Vivian Della Chiesa.
On this day in 1979 Sugar Babies: The Burlesque Musical opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, to run 1208 performances.
Born on this day in 1917 actress June Allyson.
Born on this day in 1887 soprano Maria Jeritza.
Born on this day in 1923 actress Glynis Johns.
Born on this day in 1895 actor, director, and producer Buster Keaton.
Born on this day in 1925 author Gore Vidal.
Born on this day in 1890 comedian and author Groucho Marx.
Happy 82nd birthday Julie Andrews.
On this day in 1954 Sandy Wilson‘s musical The Boy Friend opened at the Royale Theater, to run 483 performances.
Born on this day in 1942 singer and actress Madeline Kahn.
Born on this day in 1901 television host Ed Sullivan.
Happy 60th birthday opera director Peter Sellars.
On this day in 1835 Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor premiered in Naples.
Happy 68th birthday filmmaker Pedro Almodovar.
Born on this day in 1927 tenor Alfredo Kraus.
Born on this day in 1907 soprano Jarmila Novotná.
Born on this day in 1894 soprano Elisabeth Rethberg.
Happy 65th birthday baritone Alessandro Corbelli.
Born on this day in 1918 mezzo-soprano Blanche Thebom (some sources say 1915.)
Happy 46th birthday soprano Anna Netrebko.
Born on this day in 1925 actress singer and Leonie Rysanek doppelgänger Dorothy Loudon.
On this day 51 years ago the new Metropolitan Opera House opened in Lincoln Center.
Happy 72nd birthday soprano Jessye Norman.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
