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.
Born on this day in 1926 actress Marilyn Monroe.
Born on this day in 1921 actress Alida Valli.
Born on this day in 1894 actress and singer Beatrice Lillie.
On this day in 1940 Louisiana Purchase (a musical comedy with the unlikely subject matter of political corruption under the administration of Governor Huey Long) opened at the Imperial Theatre, to run 444 performances.
Born on this day in 1911 actor and bon vivant Vincent Price.
Born on this day singer and songwriter Peggy Lee.
Happy 79th birthday to songstress and actress Leslie Uggams.
On this day in 1966 Jerry Herman‘s Mame opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, to run 1,508 performances.
Happy birthday Dame Joan Collins, who is 89 years young today.
Happy 80th birthday to actress, photographer and activist Barbara Parkins.
On this day in 1959, Ethel Merman bellowed “Sing out, Louise!” into a Broadway theater for the first of 702 times, as the world’s greatest musical (per La Cieca) sprang forth.
Happy 76th birthday to mean, moody, mononymous Cher.
Happy 74th birthday model, singer and actress Grace Jones.
Born on this day in 1931 actor Robert Morse.
Born on this day in 1918 soprano Birgit Nilsson.
Born on this day in 1909 actress Margaret Sullavan.
Happy 86th birthday to soprano and actress Anna Maria Alberghetti.
Born on this day in 1903 actress Billie Dove.
Happy centennial to actress and activist Bea Arthur.
Born on this day in 1907 actress Katharine Hepburn.
Born on this day in 1888 composer Irving Berlin.
Born on this day in 1922 actress and comedian Nancy Walker.
Born on this day in 1932 actress Geraldine McEwan.
Born on this day in 1920 artist Touko Valio Laaksonen AKA “Tom of Finland.”
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.
