Happy 70th birthday tenor José Carreras.
Born on this day in 1921 Deanna Durbin.
On this day in 1953 the Wright-Forrest-Borodin musical Kismet opened on Broadway.
On this day in 1840 Donizetti’s La Favorite premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1951 Benjamin Britten‘s Billy Budd premiered in London.
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Luana DeVol.
On this day in 1948 Verdi’s Otello was the first opera to be telecast from the Metropolitan Opera.
Born on this day in 1923 actress Gloria Grahame.
On this day in 1843 Michael Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl premiered in London.
On this day in 1898 Pietro Mascagni’s Iris premiered in Rome.
Born on this day in 1694 writer and philosopher Francois-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire).
On this day in 1808 Beethoven’s Fidelio premiered in Vienna.
Born on this day in 1920 actress Gene Tierney.
Born on this day in 1891 soprano Maria Ivogün.
“Extremely noisy without being nearly as mirthful as their other films”
On this day in 1908 conductor Arturo Toscanini made his Metropolitan Opera debut.
Happy 82nd birthday actress Joanna Barnes!
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Leonie Rysanek.
On this day in 1965 the musical Skyscraper opened on Broadway.
On this day in 1682 Sweden’s King Karel XI established absolute monarchy and, later, a chain of record stores.
On this day in 1947 the film Gentleman’s Agreement premiered at Loew’s Mayfair Theatre in New York City.
On this day in 1970 the Richard Rodgers–Martin Charnin musical Two by Two opened at the Imperial Theatre.
Born on this day in 1922 actress and singer Dorothy Dandridge.
Happy Election Day USA Parterrians!
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.
