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.

Maid service Maid service

On this day in 1933, the sisters Christine and Léa Papin murdered their employer’s wife and daughter in Le Mans, France.

on February 02, 2015 at 10:44 AM
Songs for a new world Songs for a new world

On this day in 1893 Puccini’s Manon Lescaut premiered in Turin.

on February 01, 2015 at 6:00 AM
Stabbed in the back Stabbed in the back

On this day in 1861 Friedrich Hebbel’s Siegfrieds Tod premiered in Weimar.

on January 31, 2015 at 1:24 PM
Stubble to our swords Stubble to our swords

On this day in 1661, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, was ritually executed after having been dead for two years.

on January 30, 2015 at 9:00 AM
By the sea By the sea

On this day in 1781 Mozart’s Idomeneo premiered in Munich.

on January 29, 2015 at 10:54 AM
A truth universally acknowledged A truth universally acknowledged

On this day in 1813 Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was first published in the United Kingdom.

on January 28, 2015 at 6:00 AM
First hand First hand

On this day in 1302 Dante Alighieri was exiled from Florence, where he served as one of six priors governing the city.

on January 27, 2015 at 2:29 PM
A boy’s best friend A boy’s best friend

On this day in 1833 Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia premiered in Milan.

on January 26, 2015 at 11:00 AM
On this thousandth day On this thousandth day

On this day in 1533 Henry VIII of England secretly married his second wife Anne Boleyn.

on January 25, 2015 at 12:57 AM
Vivo! Vivo!

On this day in 41 AD Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated by his disgruntled Praetorian Guards, who then proclaimed Caligula’s uncle Claudius as Emperor.

on January 24, 2015 at 1:04 AM
Triple threat Triple threat

Happy 82nd birthday to American actress, singer, and dancer Chita Rivera.

on January 23, 2015 at 7:55 AM
Can of worms Can of worms

On this day in 1521 Emperor Charles V opened the Diet of Worms.

on January 22, 2015 at 11:42 AM
We’re the millers We’re the millers

On this day in 1904 Leos Janacek‘s Jenufa premiered in Brno.

on January 21, 2015 at 12:05 AM
Legal at last Legal at last

On this day in 1949 J. Edgar Hoover gave Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen.

on January 20, 2015 at 10:10 AM
Welch Schauspiel! aber ach! ein Schauspiel nur! Welch Schauspiel! aber ach! ein Schauspiel nur!

On this day in 1829 Johann von Goethe‘s Faust, der Tragödie erster Teil received its premiere performance.

on January 19, 2015 at 12:29 AM
All that jazz All that jazz

On this day in 1944, the Metropolitan Opera House hosted a jazz concert for the first time.

on January 17, 2015 at 12:22 PM
A place in every heart and a finger in every pie A place in every heart and a finger in every pie

On this day in 1949, The Goldbergs, the first sitcom on American television, premiered.

on January 16, 2015 at 1:19 PM
Funny lady Funny lady

On this day in 1947, actress Andrea Martin was born.

on January 15, 2015 at 7:48 AM
Unto the second generation Unto the second generation

On this day in 1984 Madonna first sang “Holiday” on American Bandstand.

on January 14, 2015 at 8:04 AM
Sull’aria Sull’aria

On this day in 1910, the first public radio broadcast took place: music from Cavalleria rusticana was sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House.

on January 13, 2015 at 10:10 AM
How to succeed in Byzantium without really trying How to succeed in Byzantium without really trying

On this day in 475, Basiliscus became Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople.

on January 12, 2015 at 12:41 AM
Theodora goes wild Theodora goes wild

On this day in 1055, Theodora was crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.

on January 11, 2015 at 12:24 AM
Alea iacta est Alea iacta est

On this day in 49 BC Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war.

on January 10, 2015 at 1:44 AM
Hands on Hands on

On this day in 2007, Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs announced the iPhone.

on January 09, 2015 at 7:00 AM