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.
On this day in 1955 the Richard Adler/Jerry Ross musical Damn Yankees opened on Broadway.
On this day in 1944 the film Gaslight premiered at the Capitol Theatre in New York City.
Born on this day in 1917 lyricist and performer Betty Comden.
Happy 65th birthday actress Christine Baranski.
On this day in 1941, Citizen Kane premiered at the RKO Palace Theater.
Born on this day 1908 actress Eve Arden.
Born on this day in 1917 actress Celeste Holm.
>Happy 76th birthday actress Ann-Margret.
Born on this day in 1922 actor Jack Klugman.
On this day in 1970 Stephen Sondheim‘s musical Company opened on Broadway.
On this day in 1926 Puccini’s opera Turandot premiered in Milan.
Happy 75th birthday Barbra Joan Streisand.
Born on this day (assumed) in 1564 playwright and poet William Shakespeare.
Happy 82nd birthday mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto.
Happy 68th birthday Broadway diva Patti LuPone.
On this day in 1935 Your Hit Parade began broadcasting.
On this day in 1774 Christoph Wilibald von Gluck‘s Iphigénie en Aulide premiered in Paris.
Happy 69th birthday soprano Catherine Malfitano.
Born on this day in 1927 soprano Marie Collier.
On this day in 1738 Handel’s Serse premiered in London.
Happy 59th birthday soprano Aprile Millo.
Born on this day in 1906 playwright Samuel Beckett.
On this day in 1967 the musical Illya Darling starring Melina Mercouri opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre.
Born on this day in 1903 playwright, politician, diplomat, and advisor to Presidents Clare Boothe Luce.
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.
