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.

Up Up

On this day in 1783 the Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrated their montgolfière, or hot air balloon.

on June 04, 2015 at 10:10 AM
Holy war Holy war

On this day in 1098, after a five-month siege, Crusaders seized Antioch.

on June 03, 2015 at 9:42 AM
Plane and simple Plane and simple

On this day in 1981 Barbara Walters asked Katharine Hepburn what kind of tree she would be.

on June 02, 2015 at 7:50 AM
The cheese stands alone The cheese stands alone

On this day in 1951 the International Cheese treaty was signed.

on June 01, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Schopenhauer was right Schopenhauer was right

On this day in 1893 Whitcomb Judson patented a hookless fastening device later called a “zipper.”

on May 31, 2015 at 11:05 AM
MIra, o Norma MIra, o Norma

Born in this day in 1899 American screenwriter and producer Irving Thalberg.

on May 30, 2015 at 9:44 AM
In like Flynn In like Flynn

On this day in 1453 Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, fell to Muhammad II, ending the Byzantine Empire.

on May 29, 2015 at 10:12 AM
Other places only make me love you best Other places only make me love you best

On this day in 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, was officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

on May 28, 2015 at 11:11 AM
Hell is other turbans Hell is other turbans

On this day in 1944, Jean-Paul Sartre‘s Huis Clos opened (heh) in Paris.

on May 27, 2015 at 8:45 AM
Many cats are the death of the mouse Many cats are the death of the mouse

On this day in 1828, the mysterious feral child Kaspar Hauser was discovered wandering the streets of Nuremberg.

on May 26, 2015 at 10:23 AM
A bridge too Farrar A bridge too Farrar

On this day in 1430 Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne.

on May 23, 2015 at 10:07 AM
Here she is, boys! Here she is, boys!

On this day in 1959 Gypsy opened at the Broadway Theater, to run 702 performances.

on May 21, 2015 at 6:55 AM
Heralded tribune Heralded tribune

On this day in 1347, Cola di Rienzo, a Roman commoner, declared himself Emperor of Rome in response to years of baronial power-struggles.

on May 20, 2015 at 7:48 AM
You mean all this time we could have been friends? You mean all this time we could have been friends?

On this day in 1568 Queen Elizabeth I of England arrested Queen Mary of Scotland.

on May 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Now you see her… Now you see her…

On this day in 1926, evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished while visiting a beach in Venice, CA. She reappeared a month later with the claim that she had been kidnapped.

on May 18, 2015 at 7:26 AM
On this day nothing almost happened On this day nothing almost happened

On this day in 2015, parterre.com was offline for almost five hours due to a server error.

on May 17, 2015 at 6:23 PM
Much Fruit of Sense Much Fruit of Sense

On this day in 1711 Alexander Pope‘s “An Essay on Criticism” was published anonymously.

on May 15, 2015 at 8:02 AM
Where is style? Where is skill? Where is style? Where is skill?

Born on this day in 1933 Welsh actress Siân Phillips.

on May 14, 2015 at 8:00 AM
Women want love to be a novel Women want love to be a novel

Born on this day in 1907 English author Daphne du Maurier.

on May 13, 2015 at 7:00 AM
L’odontalgico mirabile liquore L’odontalgico mirabile liquore

On this day in 1832 Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore premiered in Milan.

on May 12, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Not a quiet thing Not a quiet thing

On this day in 1965 the musical Flora, the Red Menace opened at the Alvin Theater in New York.

on May 11, 2015 at 4:05 PM
Crowned heads Crowned heads

On this day in 1774 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette became King and Queen of France.

on May 10, 2015 at 3:22 AM
Splitsville Splitsville

On this day in 1868 the city of Reno, Nevada was founded.

on May 09, 2015 at 3:10 AM
Il neofito Il neofito

Happy 31st birthday tenor Michael Fabiano!

on May 08, 2015 at 6:12 AM