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.
Happy 74th birthday soprano Edita Gruberova.
Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini.
Happy 83rd birthday to actress, political activist and environmentalist Jane Fonda.
Born on this day in 1898 actress and singer Irene Dunne.
On this day in 1960 Georg Solti made his Met debut conducting Tannhäuser, featuring baritone Hermann Prey, also debuting, as Wolfram.
Born on this day in 1770 a forgotten composer named Ludwig van Beethoven.
Happy 86th birthday soprano Raina Kabaivanska.
Born on this day in 1884 actress and playwright Jane Cowl.
On this day in 2009 Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury headlined the first Broadway revival of A Little Night Music.
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!
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.
