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 1893, the premiere of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in Turin.
On this day in 1974 Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani had its first Metropolitan Opera house performance.
On this day in 1957 soprano Martha Mödl made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Brünnhilde in Siegfried.
On this day in 1781: the premiere of Mozart’s Idomeneo in Munich.
Born on this day in 1873 writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette.
On this day in 1974, Carol Channing opened in the musical Lorelei at the Palace Theatre. The show ran 320 performances.
On this day, premiere performance anniversaries!
Triple operatic premiere day!
On this day in 1958 soprano Inge Borkh made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Salome.
On this day in 1964 the American premiere of Menotti’s The Last Savage took place at the Metropolitan Opera.
Born on this day in 1897 soprano Rosa Ponselle.
Happy 78th (or so) birthday tenor/baritone/conductor Plácido Domingo.
Born on this day in 1865 cabaret singer and actress of the Belle Époque Yvette Guilbert.
On this day in 1984 bass Samuel Ramey made his Metroplitan Opera debut in Handel’s Rinaldo.
On this day in 1907 the Metropolian Opera premiered Puccini’s Manon Lescaut with the composer in attendance.
On this day in 1960 tenor Jon Vickers made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Canio.
Happy 85th birthday mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne.
On this day in 1958 Samuel Barber‘s Vanessa had its world premiere at the Met.
On this day in 1900 Puccini’s Tosca premiered in Rome.
Happy 83rd birthday baritone Renato Bruson.
On this day in 1912 Pietro Mascagni’s Lodoletta had its United States premiere at the Metropolitan.
On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
Happy 84th birthday baritone Sherrill Milnes.
Born on this day in 1902 impresario and opera manager Rudolf Bing.
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.
