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 film choreographer Busby Berkeley.
Born on this day in 1923 actress Gloria Grahame.
Born on this day in 1909 author James Agee.
Happy 82nd birthday to The Queen of Rock and Roll.
“Liberace invites us to his Thanksgiving holiday celebration, playing and singing songs of the season, as well as classical numbers such as Falla’s ‘Ritual Fire Dance’ which a Hopi Indian dances to.”
Born on this day in 1848 prima donna assoluta (and pedagogue supreme) Lilli Lehmann.
Born on this day in 1892 illustrator and designer Erté.
Born on this day in 1924 actress Geraldine Page.
Born on this day in 1912 dancer Eleanor Powell.
Born on this day in 1908 actress and comedian Imogene Coca.
On this day in 1926 the US premiere and first Metropolitan Opera performance of Puccini’s Turandot.
Happy 89th birthday to songstress Petula Clark!
Born on this day in 1929 actress Grace Kelly, later Princess Grace of Monaco.
Born on this day in 1889 actor Clifton Webb.
Born on this day in 1889 actor Claude Rains.
Born on this day in 1922 singer and actress Dorothy Dandridge.
Born on this day in 1847 novelist Bram Stoker.
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Joan Sutherland.
Born on this day in 1901 musical theatre and film actress Juanita Hall.
Born on this day in 1913 actress Vivien Leigh.
Born on this day in 1881 artiste Gaby Deslys.
Born on this day in 1801 composer Vincenzo Bellini.
On this day in 2005 mezzo-soprano Joyce Di Donato made her Met debut as Cherubino.
Born on this day in 1904 actress Laura La Plante.
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.
