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 1967 Colin Davis made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Peter Grimes
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On this day in 1984 bass Samuel Ramey, conductor Mario Bernardi and director Frank Corsaro made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in Handel’s Rinaldo
On this day in 1907 the Metropolitan Opera premiered Puccini’s Manon Lescaut with the composer in attendance
On this day in 1960 tenor Jon Vickers made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Canio
Happy 90th birthday mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne
On this day in 1958 Samuel Barber‘s Vanessa had its world premiere at the Met
On this day in 1900 Puccini’s Tosca premiered in Rome
On this day in 1976 conductor Sarah Caldwell made history (and her Metropolitan debut)
On this day in 1918 Pietro Mascagni and Giovacchino Forzano’s Lodoletta had its United States premiere at the Metropolitan.
On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
Happy 89th birthday baritone Sherrill Milnes.
Born on this day in 1902 impresario and opera manager Rudolf Bing
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Evelyn Lear.
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her historic Metropolitan Opera debut
Born on this day in 1412 martyr and saint Jeanne d’Arc. How many theatrical, cinematic, operatic interpretations of her life?
On this day in 1875 the Palais Garnier was inaugurated in Paris
Born on this day in 1937 soprano/mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry.
On this day in 1956 the Metropolitan Opera celebrated the 25th anniversary of soprano Lily Pons with a special Gala performance (Act 2 Rigoletto, Lucia Mad Scene and a concert).
On this day in 2015 soprano Marjorie Owens made her Metropolitan Opera debut (and only Met performance thus far) as Verdi‘s Aida.
Born on this day in 1905 composer Jule Styne
On this day in 1948 Cole Porter‘s Kiss Me Kate opened on Broadway
Born on this day in 1876 cellist and conductor Pablo Casals
On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck‘s ‘other’ opera Königskinder premiered at the Met
