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 1910 the premiere performance of Gustav Mahler‘s Symphony No. 8 in Munich featured a chorus of 852 singers and an orchestra of 171 players.
9 comments
Sponsored
Call for submissions: parterre box‘s new Talk of the Town
parterre box is launching a new themed regular feature curated by our readers and opera fans across the world! We are asking for your favorite clips, recordings, and anecdotes to get people chatting, listening, and thinking.
On this day in 1850 “Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind gave her first United States concert.
On this day in 1868 Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de perles premiered in Paris.
Born on this day in 1828 writer Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy.
On this day in 1967 the TV game show What’s My Line? broadcast its final episode, after a 17 year run on CBS.
Happy 97th birthday dancer and choreographer Marge Champion.
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 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.
Sponsored
Reach your audience through parterre box!
parterre box, “the most essential blog in opera” (New York Times), is now booking display and sponsored content advertising for the 2023-2024 season. Join Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Warner Classics and many others in reaching your target audience through parterre box.
parterre in your box?
Get our free weekly newsletter delivered to your email.
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, top reads from us and our friends.
Delivered to your email weekly…ish.