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 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).
Born on this day in 1911 actress and producer Lucille Ball.
On this day in 1924 the New York Daily News debuted the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray.
Happy 55th birthday President Barack Obama.
On this day in 1943 Martin Vale‘s melodrama The Two Mrs. Carrolls opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre.
Happy 79th birthday soprano Gundula Janowitz.
>Born on this day in 1819 writer Herman Melville.
Born on this day in 1887 composer Sigmund Romberg.
On this day in 1882 Wagner’s Parsifal premiered in Bayreuth.
On this day in 1940 Bugs Bunny made his official film debut in Wild Hare.
Born on this day in 1902 comedienne, actress and (who knew?) dancer Gracie Allen.
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.
