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.

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
Care forgot Care forgot

On this day in 1718 the city of New Orleans was founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville.

on May 07, 2015 at 4:35 AM
No tea, all shade No tea, all shade

On this day La Cieca and faithful sidekick Dawn Fatale have arrived in Düsseldorf to hear Valer Sabadus sing Xerxes in a production by Stefan Herheim.

on May 06, 2015 at 7:44 AM
The lonely lady The lonely lady

Born on this day Pia Zadora.

on May 04, 2015 at 3:54 AM
The great liar The great liar

Born on this day in 1906 actress Mary Astor.

on May 03, 2015 at 4:56 AM
Cell by date Cell by date

On this day in 1536 Anne Boleyn was arrested and taken to the Tower of London.

on May 02, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Musical chairs Musical chairs

On this day in 1786 Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro premiered in Wien.

on May 01, 2015 at 7:07 AM
Bayou and sell you Bayou and sell you

On this day in 1803 the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation.

on April 30, 2015 at 8:51 AM
The girl in pink tights The girl in pink tights

Happy 90th birthday to French ballerina and actress Zizi Jeanmaire.

on April 29, 2015 at 8:00 AM
A kid again A kid again

On this day in 1965 Barbra Streisand starred in the My Name is Barbra special on CBS.

on April 28, 2015 at 11:48 AM
It’s hard to be a diva It’s hard to be a diva

On this day in 1989 the musical Starmites opened at the Criterion Theater in New York for 60 performances.

on April 27, 2015 at 9:00 AM
Anatomy is destiny Anatomy is destiny

On this day in 1886 Sigmund Freud opened his practice at Rathausstrasse 7, Vienna.

on April 25, 2015 at 10:29 AM
Present danger Present danger

On this day in 1184 BC (according to tradition) the Greeks entered Troy using the Trojan Horse.

on April 24, 2015 at 11:06 AM
And it was grand just to stand And it was grand just to stand

On this day in 1961, Judy Garland sang a legendary concert at Carnegie Hall that has been called “the greatest night in show business history.”

on April 23, 2015 at 8:00 AM