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 1966 the musical It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman opened at the Alvin Theatre.
Happy 78th birthday bass Samuel Ramey.
Born on this day in 1899 film diva Gloria Swanson.
On this day in 1977 soprano Ileana Cotrubas made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimì.
On this day in 2003 the legendary Chita Rivera celebrated 50 years as a Broadway performer playing the role of Liliane LeFleur in a Broadway revival of the musical Nine.
On this day in 1967, model, singer and entrepreneur Twiggy arrived in New York City.
Happy 91st birthday soprano Antonietta Stella.
Born on this day in 1922 composer, arranger and “King of Exotica” Les Baxter.
On this day in 1949, Ljuba Welitsch sang the title role of Salome on a Met broadcast.
On this day in 1954 the musical The Golden Apple opened off-Broadway.
Born on this day in 1892 soprano Dame Eva Turner.
Born on this day in 1910 composer Samuel Barber.
Happy 61st birthday to musical theater diva Donna Murphy.
Happy 45th birthday conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
On this day in 1959 Alban Berg‘s Wozzeck had its Metropolitan Opera premiere.
Happy 66th birthday to comic genius Catherine O’Hara.
On this day in 1875 Bizet’s Carmen had its disastrous premiere at the Opéra Comique in Paris.
On this day in 1960 debonair Don Ameche donned yellowface to star in the notorious flop musical 13 Daughters, which ran 28 performances.
Happy 93rd birthday soprano Lucine Amara.
On this day in 1836 Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1910 prima ballerina Anna Pavlova made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Coppelia (on a double bill with Werther!)
Born on this day in 1935 soprano Mirella Freni.
Born on this day in 1802 author and playwright Victor Hugo.
On this day in 1953 Rosalind Russell topped the bill on the opening night of Wonderful Town, with a score by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
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.
