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.
Born on this day in 1843 novelist Henry James.
Happy 61st birthday soprano Aprile Millo.
Born on this day in 1933 soprano Montserrat Caballé.
On this day in 1975 soprano Katia Ricciarelli made her Met debut as Mimi.
On this day in 1996 tenor Roberto Alagna made his Met debut as Rodolfo.
On this day in 1964, Richard Burton opened in Hamlet at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
Born on this day in 1921 tenor Franco Corelli.
On this day in 1975 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.
Born on this day in 1908 definitive American film actress Bette Davis.
On this day in 1964 Stephen Sondheim’s Anyone Can Whistle premiered on Broadway and closed after nine performances.
On this day in 1975 soprano Magda Olivero made her historical, belated Metropolitan Opera debut as Tosca.
On this day in 1977 tenor Guy Chauvet made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Samson.
At tonight’s performance of Das Rheingold, the role of Woglinde will be sung by Aprile Millo.
On this day in 1999 the Metropolitan Opera presented its premiere of Carlisle Floyd‘s Susannah.
On this day in 1970 tenor Nico Castel made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Don Basilo in Le nozze di Figaro.
On this day in 1879 Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin premiered in Moscow.
Happy 77th birthday bass Samuel Ramey.
Happy 69th birthday mezzo-soprano/soprano Maria Ewing.
On this day in 1964 the Jule Styne-Bob Merrill musical Funny Girl opened on Broadway.
On this day in 1943 the Metropolitan Opera on tour performed La traviata at the Chicago Civic Opera House.
Born on this day in 1808 prima donna Maria Malibran.
On this day in 1977 soprano Ileana Cotrubas made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimi.
Born on this day in 1912 soprano/mezzo-soprano Martha Mödl.
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.
