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 1830 Victor Hugo‘s Hernani premiered in Paris.
Happy 82nd birthday soprano Renata Scotto.
Born on this day in 1927 soprano Régine Crespin.
Happy 86th birthday soprano and Hollywood “ghost” singer Marni Nixon.
On this day in 1816 Rossini’s Almaviva, o sia L’inutile precauzione had its disastrous premiere in Rome.
On this day in 1914 Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini premiered in Turin.
On this day in 1902 Le jongleur de Notre-Dame by Jules Massenet was first performed at the Opéra Garnier in Monte Carlo.
On this date in 1892 Massenet’s Werther premiered in Vienna.
On this day in 1686 Jean Baptiste Lully‘s opera Armide premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1895 Oscar Wilde‘s The Importance of Being Earnest premiered at the St. James’s Theatre in London.
Happy 47th birthday mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.
Born on this day in 1884 writer and socialite Alice Roosevelt Longworth.
On this day in 1840 Donizetti’s La fille du Regiment premiered in Paris.
Happy 89th birthday soprano Leontyne Price!
On this day in 1893 Verdi’s Falstaff premiered in Milan.
On this day in 1895 the Petipa staging of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered in St Petersburg.
On this day in 1792 Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto premiered in Vienna.
On this day in 1935, the “Monopoly” board game went on sale for the first time.
On this day in 1887 Verdi’s Otello premiered in Milan.
“See for yourself what the genius of Walt Disney has created in his first full length feature production.”
Born on this day in 1943 American actress Blythe Danner.
On this day in 1900 Gustave Charpentier‘s Louise premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1893 Puccini’s Manon Lescaut premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin.
Happy 95th birthday performer Carol Channing.
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.
