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 97th birthday dancer and choreographer Marge Champion.
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Merry Widow | Finger Lakes, NY | July 25-28
Geneva Light Opera’s production of Lehar’s The Merry Widow will feature prize-winning baritone Bryan Murray and soprano Alexis Olinyk in the superb acoustics of in the landmark Smith Opera House in Geneva, New York on July 25, 27, and 28. A small city on the north end of the largest of NY’s Finger Lakes, Geneva…
Born on this day in 1751 dramatist Emanuel Schikaneder.
On this day in 1829 Rossini’s Guillaume Tell premiered in Paris.
Born on this day in 1922 soprano / mezzo-soprano / opera director Regina Resnik.
Happy 61st birthday avant-garde soprano, composer, pianist, organist, performance artist and painter Diamanda Galás.
On this day in 1850 Wagner’s Lohengrin premiered at the Staatskapelle Weimar.
Happy 64th birthday actor, producer and comedian Paul Reubens, aka “Pee-wee Herman.”
Born on this day in 1880 poet Guillaume Apollinaire.
Born on this day in 1918 composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.
Happy 86th or 87th birthday actress Vera Miles.
Happy 62nd birthday playwright, actor and diseuse Charles Busch.
Happy 77th birthday actress Valerie Harper.
On this day in 1986 the Charles Strouse / Stephen Schwartz / Teresa Stratas musical Rags opened on Broadway.
Born on this day in 1918 novelist Jacqueline Susann.
On this day in 1848 the New York Herald reported the discovery of gold in California.
On this day in 1920, Amendment XIX to the United States Constitution was ratified.
On this day in 1876 Wagner’s Götterdämmerung premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.
On this day in 1876 Wagner’s Siegfried premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.
Happy 73rd birthday mezzo-soprano Hanna Schwarz.
Born on this day in 1904 baritone and teacher Martial Singher.
Happy 89th birthday conductor Raymond Leppard.
On this day in 1930 Betty Boop made her film debut in Dizzy Dishes, created by Max Fleischer.
On this day in 1876 Thomas Edison (not pictured) patented the mimeograph.
Born on this day in 1876 dancer and spy Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” Zelle MacLeod aka Mata Hari (not pictured).
