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.
On this day in 1925 the George S. Kaufman / Irving Berlin musical The Cocoanuts opened at the Lyric Theatre starring The Marx Brothers.
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On this day in 1960 soprano Eileen Farrell made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of a new production of Gluck’s Alceste.
On this day in 1960, Galina Vishnevskaya made a guest appearance with the Metropolitan Opera, singing Madama Butterfly in Russian.
On this day in 1935 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Die Walküre featuring the company debut of soprano Marjorie Lawrence as Brünnhilde.
On this day in 2009 the Metropolitan Opera presented a production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann that went through six major cast changes during the rehearsal period.
On this day in 1962, the Metropolitan Opera presented Ernani starring Carlo Bergonzi, Leontyne Price, Cornell MacNeil and Giorgio Tozzi, conducted by Thomas Schippers.
On this day in 1990 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Rossini’s Semiramide.
On this day in 1937 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with Tristan und Isolde.
On this day in 1942 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor.
On this day in 1906 a 24-year-old soprano named Geraldine Farrar made her Metropolitan Opera debut on the opening night of the season in Roméo et Juliette.
On this day in 1885, soprano Lilli Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of Carmen (in German, of course.)
On this day in 2000 soprano Nina Stemme made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Senta.
On this day in 1940 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with La Fille du Régiment, starring Lily Pons and featuring the “Casablanca” finale!
On this day in 1965 Montserrat Caballé and Sherrill Milnes made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in Faust.
On this day in 1967 Herbert von Karajan bowed at the Metropolitan Opera in a new production of Die Walküre which he directed and conducted.
On this day in 1953 the Metropolitan Opera presented a performance of Le nozze di Figaro featuring the debuts of Irmgard Seefried and Lisa Della Casa.
On this day in 1992 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor directed by Francesca Zambello (not pictured.)
On this day in 1919 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a revival of Tosca starring Geraldine Farrar, Enrico Caruso and Antonio Scotti.
On this day in 1953 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Gounod’s Faust.
On this day in 1918 soprano Rosa Ponselle made her Metropolitan Opera debut and her first appearance in opera in La forza del destino.
On this day in 1951 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Aida.
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pb—with our friends at Carnegie Hall—is giving away two tickets to PB’s December concert. Enter now!
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