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 1900 David Belasco‘s play Madame Butterfly opened at The Duke of York’s Theatre in London with Blanche Bates in the title role.
On this day in 1895 Lillian Nordica sang Leonora to Francesco Tamagno‘s Manrico in the tenor’s Met farewell.
Happy 87th birthday to actress and comedian Carol Burnett.
Born on this day in 1918 soprano Astrid Varnay.
On this day in 2015 Chita Rivera opened her 18th Broadway show as the star of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally‘s The Visit.
Happy 85th birthday mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto.
Happy 88th birthday comedian, film director, screenwriter, and actress Elaine May.
J’allume au feu du jour ma cigarette.
Happy 55th birthday soprano Natalie Dessay.
Opera premieres on this day:
Born on this day in 1938 actress Claudia Cardinale.
On this day in 1960 the Charles Strouse–Lee Adams musical Bye Bye Birdie opened at the Martin Beck Theatre to run 607 performances.
Born on this day in 1931 soprano Anita Cerquetti.
Born on this day in 1898 soprano Lily Pons.
On this day in 1914, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion opened at His Majesty’s Theatre in London, starring Mrs. Patrick Campbell.
On this day in 1996 tenor Roberto Alagna made his Met debut as Rodolfo.
On this day in 1928 Mae West played triple threat as playwright, director and star of Diamond Lil, which ran for 323 performances at the Royale Theatre.
Born on this day in 1921 tenor Franco Corelli.
On this day in 1975 Rossini’s Siege of Corinth had its American stage premiere at the Metropolitan Opera. Soprano Beverly Sills made her official Met debut as Pamira.
On this day in 1989 soprano Sumi Jo made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Gilda.
Happy 90th birthday soprano Mary Costa.
On this day in 1859 Meyerbeer’s Le pardon de Ploërmel premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1963, Liza Minnelli, age 17, made her off-Broadway debut in a revival of Best Foot Forward.
On this day in 1892, Adelina Patti sang her first and only performance of La traviata at the Metropolitan Opera House.
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.
