Tu azzurro hai l’occhio
Born on this day in 1915 singer and actor Frank Sinatra
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.
Idée fixe
Born on this day in 1803 composer Hector Berlioz
Reverse cowgirl
On this day in 1910 Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Met.
E così vada s’è pur mio destino!
On this day in 1901 Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Francesca da Rimini premiered in Rome starring Eleonora Duse and Gustavo Salvini
All is grist for the Miller
On this day in 1849 Verdi’s Luisa Miller premiered in Naples
Son’io la gloria
Born on this day in 1863 composer Pietro Mascagni
Trouble must be treated just like a rebel
On this day in 1846 Berlioz’s La damnation de Faust premiered in Paris
A chanté le carnage
Happy 77th birthday tenor José Carreras
Voce di donna
On this day in 1993, the first issue of parterre box was published
Always DeVolving
Happy 81st birthday soprano Luana DeVol
Black and white tv
On this day in 1948 Verdi‘s Otello was the first opera to be telecast from the Metropolitan Opera
Three tall women
Birthday anniversaries of sopranos Helen Jepson (1904)…
Experimental pros
On this day in 1843 Michael Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl premiered in London
“Peanuts” gallery
Happy 82nd birthday mezzo-soprano Susanne Marsee
Ich Vogelfänger bin bekannt
Happy 78th birthday baritone Håkan Hagegård
Chiara di luna
On this day in 1938 tenor Jussi Bjoerling made his Met debut as Rodolfo.
Yes. I remember Aldeburgh–
Born on this day in 1913 composer Benjamin Britten
Pagan poetry
On this day in 1967 conductor Herbert von Karajan bows at the Metropolitan Opera in Walkure.
A season in hell
On this day in 1907 bass Fyodor Chaliapin made his Met debut as Boito‘s Mefistofele
See the pretty girl in that mirror there
On this day in 1962 soprano Regine Crespin made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
