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 2009 Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury headlined the first Broadway revival of A Little Night Music.
11 comments
Sponsored
Advertise on parterre box!
parterre box, “the most essential blog in opera” (New York Times), is now booking display advertising for 2021. Join Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, BAM, New York City Opera and many others in reaching your target audience through parterre box.
Born on this day in 1915 singer and actor Frank Sinatra.
Born on this day in 1919 noir dame par excellence Marie Windsor.
Born on this day in 1914 actress Dorothy Lamour.
Born on this day in 1902 schoolteacher, actress and voice artist Margaret Hamilton.
Born on this day in 1865 composer Jean Sibelius.
Happy 39th birthday to bass Zachary James.
Born on this day in 1898 soprano Grace Moore.
Born on this day in 1921 soprano and film star Deanna Durbin.
Born on this day in 1907 songstress supreme Connee Boswell.
Happy 75th birthday to songstress, actress and producer Bette Midler.
On this day in 1955, the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein had the rare experience of presenting a flop, the musical Pipe Dream which ran only 246 performances. On the other hand, the show included the definitive “I want” song:
Born on this day in 1832 writer Louisa May Alcott.
Born on this day in 1923 actress Gloria Grahame.
On this day in 1937 the International Ladies Garment Workers Union presented the union-themed musical revue, Pins and Needles.
Happy Thanksgiving to the US contingent of the cher public!
Born on this day in 1927 tenor Alfredo Kraus.
Born on this day in 1892 artist and designer Erté (né Romain de Tirtoff).
On this day in 1934, Anything Goes, with words and music by Cole Porter, opened at the Alvin Theatre to run 420 performances.
Happy 78th birthday to composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker and choreographer Meredith Monk.
On this day in 1962 soprano Régine Crespin made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin. Mezzo Hertha Töpper debuted as Octavian and Lotte Lehmann was stage director.
Born on this day in 1882 soprano Amelita Galli-Curci.
On this day in 1926 the Metropolitan Opera presented the US premiere of Puccini’s Turandot.
On this day in 1918 soprano Rosa Ponselle made her Metropolitan Opera debut (and her first appearance in opera anywhere) as Leonora.
