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 Die Frau Ohne Schatten was first heard at the Met, featuring baritone Walter Berry making his debut as Barak.
On this day in 2011 tenor Javier Camarena made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count Almaviva.
On this day in 1963 the musical The Student Gypsy, or, The Prince of Liederkranz opened at the 54th Street Theatre.
On this day in 1965 soprano Mirella Freni and tenor Gianni Raimondi made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in La bohème.
On this day in 1968 tenor Placido Domingo made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Maurizio.
Happy 61st birthday opera director Peter Sellars.
Born on this day in 1898 composer George Gershwin.
On this day in 1985 baritone Giuseppe Taddei made his belated Metropolitan Opera debut as Falstaff.
Born on this day Cornell MacNeil and Ettore Bastianini (both in 1922) and Pablo Elvira (in 1938).
Born on this day in 1907 soprano Jarmila Novotná.
On this day in 1968 mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Carmen.
On this day in 1971 Sir Rudolf Bing opened his final season at the Met with a revival of Don Carlo.
Happy 91st birthday actress Rosemary Harris!
Happy 47th birthday soprano Anna Netrebko!
On this day in 1971 the Met revived Norma with its surefire team of Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne.
On this day 52 years ago the new Metropolitan Opera House opened in Lincoln Center.
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Jessye Norman!
On this day, George White’s Scandals of 1931 opened on Broadway.
Born on this day in 1874 composer Arnold Schoenberg.
Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.
Born on this day in 1825 critic Eduard Hanslick.
On this day in 1838 Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini premiered in Paris.
Born on this day in 1828 writer Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy.
On this day in 1966, That Girl starring Marlo Thomas premiered on ABC.
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.
