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 1924 tenor Carlo Bergonzi.
Born on this day in 1895 soprano Kirsten Flagstad.
Born on this day in 1920 (or so) actor, director and photographer Yul Brynner.
Happy 49th birthday tenor Jonas Kaufmann!
Happy 81st birthday painter and designer David Hockney.
On this day in 1956 Douglas Moore‘s The Ballad of Baby Doe premiered in Central City, Colorado.
Born on this day in 1907 (1910?) soprano Dorothy Kirsten.
Born on this day in 1889 writer, filmmaker and designer Jean Cocteau.
Happy Independence All U.S. Parterrians!
Born on this day in 1854 composer Leos Janacek.
Born on this day in 1714 composer Christoph Willibald von Gluck.
On this day in 1933 Richard Strauss’ Arabella premiered in Dresden.
Happy 60th birthday conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Born on this day in 1911 composer Bernard Hermann.
Born on this day in 1902 composer Richard Rodgers.
Born on this day in 1932 soprano Anna Moffo.
On this day in 1911, the fifth edition of the Ziegfeld Follies opened at the Jardin de Paris.
On this day in 1870 Wagner’s Die Walküre premiered in Munich.
On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera presented its first Met in the Parks performance in Crocheron Park, Bayside, Queens: Puccini’s La Boheme.
Today is the 75th birthday of James Levine.
Born on this day in 1900 mezzo-soprano and teacher Jennie Tourel.
Happy 60th birthday mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore.
On this day in 1970, Regina Resnik celebrated her 25th anniversary at the Met with a performance of Carmen, part of the company’s first June Festival.
Happy 75th birthday soprano Eva Marton.
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.
