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 86th Birthday soprano Renata Scotto.
Born on this day in 1927 soprano Régine Crespin.
Born on this day in 1930 soprano and film “ghost” singer Marni Nixon.
The actress and songstress is 67 today! Born on this day in 1907 librettist and poet W H Auden.
On this day in 1981 the Metropolitan Opera premiered triple bill of Satie’s Parade, Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias and Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges.
On this day in 1967 soprano Lucia Popp made her Met debut as the Queen of the Night.
Born on this day in 1926 mezzo-soprano Rita Gorr.
A day dedicated to celebrating all U.S. presidents, past and present.
On this day in 1966 Metropolitan Opera debut of tenor Alfredo Kraus as the Duke of Mantua.
On this day in 1939, Lillian Hellman‘s play The Little Foxes opened at the National Theatre, providing actress Tallulah Bankhead with perhaps her greatest vehicle.
Happy 61st birthday to soprano, director, consultant and noted Björk interpreter Renée Fleming.
Happy 100th anniversary of the birth of classical and pop diva Eileen Farrell!
Born on this day in 1923 director and designer Franco Zeffirelli.
Born on this day in 1919 actress, businesswoman, singer and socialite Eva Gabor.
Happy 93rd birthday to soprano Leontyne Price.
On this day in 1974 soprano Kiri te Kanawa made an emergency Met debut as Desdemona (and her broadcast debut.)
Born on this day in 1888 actress Dame Edith Evans.
On this day in 1928 soprano Grace Moore made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimi.
On this day in 1968 mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amneris.
On this day in 1959 soprano Leonie Rysanek made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lady Macbeth.
On this day in 2006 tenor Jonas Kaufmann made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Alfredo.
Born on this day in 1887 poet and expatriate Gertrude Stein.
Happy 83rd birthday soprano Martina Arroyo.
Born on this day in 1922 soprano Renata Tebaldi.
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.
