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 1950 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Die Fledermaus.
On this date in 1991 the Metropolitan Opera presented the world premiere of John Corigliano‘s The Ghosts of Versailles.
On this day in 1900 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a revival of Roméo et Juliette.
On this day in 1883 soprano Marcella Sembrich, then in her debut season at the Metropolitan Opera, sang La sonnambula.
On this day in 1977 Maria Chiara made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Violetta.
BREAKING: The Metropolitan Opera’s website is back online!
On this day in 1981 “the Zeffirelli Bohème” opened at the Metropolitan Opera.
On this day in 1979 mezzo Agnes Baltsa made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Octavian.
On this day in 1920 Ravel’s La Valse premiered in Paris.
Born on this day in 1919 actress Marie Windsor.
On this day in 1910 Puccini’s La fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera.
On this day in 1905 Richard Strauss‘s Salome premiered in Dresden.
On this day in 1925 the George S. Kaufman / Irving Berlin musical The Cocoanuts opened at the Lyric Theatre starring The Marx Brothers.
Born on this day in 1864 soprano Sibyl Sanderson.
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.
Born 99 years ago.
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.
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.
