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.
Happy 96th birthday soprano Leontyne Price.
On this day in 1974 soprano Kiri Te Kanawa made an “emergency” Met debut as Desdemona and her broadcast debut.
On this day in 1982 the Metropolitan Opera revisited its controversial season-opener Norma.
On this day in 1928 soprano Grace Moore made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimi.
On this day in 1959, soprano Leonie Rysanek made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lady Macbeth.
On this day in 2006 tenor Jonas Kaufmann made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Alfredo.
On this day in 1965 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Salome.
Happy 86th birthday soprano Martina Arroyo.
On this day in 1979 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Verdi’s Don Carlo.
On this day in 1974 Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani had its Metropolitan Opera stage premiere.
On this day in 1957 soprano Martha Modl made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Siegfried Brünnhilde.
On this day in 1977 the Metropolitan Opera broadcast its new production of Meyerbeer’s Le Prophète.
On this day in 1903, the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of Verdi’s Ernani.
On this day in 1961 the Metropolitan Opera presented the historic debuts of Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli in Verdi’s Il trovatore.
On this day in day in 1973 the Metropolitan Opera revived Verdi’s Macbeth with Martina Arroyo and Sherrill Milnes.
On this day in 1961 baritone Eberhard Wächter made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Wolfram in Tannhäuser.
On this day in 1958 soprano Inge Borkh made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Salome.
On this day in 1953 soprano Herva Nelli made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Aida.
Born on this day in 1897 soprano Rosa Ponselle.
On this day in 1963 (much against Rudolf Bing‘s will) the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Adriana Lecouvreur.
On this ray in 1932, soprano Göta Ljungberg made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
On this day in 2017, Clémentine Margaine made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Carmen.
On this day in 1978 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Massenet’s Thaïs.
On this day in 1960 tenor Jon Vickers made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Canio.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
