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.
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On this day in 1853 Verdi’s Il Trovatore premiered in Rome.
On this day in 1900 Puccini’s Tosca premiered in Rome.
On this day in 1976 Sarah Caldwell became the first female conductor at the Met.
Born on this day in 1755 Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury.
Happy 81st birthday baritone Sherrill Milnes.
Happy 60th birthday mezzo-soprano Waltraud Meier!
On this day in 1981 The Pirates of Penzance opened at the Uris Theater to run 772 performances.
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her Metropolitan Opera debut.
Born on this day in 1412 martyr and saint Jeanne d’Arc
On this day in 1875 the Palais Garnier was inagurated in Paris.
Happy 79th birthday to protean diva Grace Bumbry!
On this day in 1843 Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer premiered in Dresden.
On this joyous date in 1818 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was published anonymously.
On this day in 535 Belisarius completed the conquest of Sicily.
On this day in 1927 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari‘s opera Sly premiered at La Scala.
Born on this day in 1938 actress and producer Mary Tyler Moore.
On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck’s “other” opera Königskinder premiered at the Met.
On this day in 1927 the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II musical Show Boat premiered.
On this day premiered three masterpieces of the primo ottocento: Anna Bolena in 1830, Norma in 1831 and Lucia di Lammermoor in 1835.
On this day we at parterre box are always reminded of the heartwarming words of the immortal Hedda Hopper.
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