Born on this day in 1911 or thereabouts actress, author and burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee.
Born on this day in 1899 composer Francis Poulenc.
Born on this day in 1412 martyr and saint Jeanne d’Arc.
Born on this day in 1917 director and impresario Wieland Wagner.
Happy 83rd birthday to diva Grace Bumbry.
On this day in 1956 the Metropolitan Opera celebrated the 25th anniversary of the debut of soprano Lily Pons.
On this day in 1958 Maria Callas canceled a gala performance of Norma after the first act in the so-called “Rome Walkout.”
On this day in 1972, Stephen Sondheim‘s Company closed on Broadway, finishing a run of 705 performances.
On this day in 2009 Yannick Nézet-Séguin made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Carmen.
On this day in 1954 the Harold Arlen–Truman Capote musical House of Flowers opened at the Alvin Theatre, to run 165 performances.
Born on this day in 1936 actress, producer and social advocate Mary Tyler Moore.
On this day in 1830 Donizetti’s Anna Bolena premiered in Milan.
Merry Christmas Parterrians!
On this day in 1903, the Metropolitan Opera presented the first staged performance of Parsifal outside Bayreuth.
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Edita Gruberova.
Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini.
Happy 82nd birthday to activist and actor Jane Fonda.
On this day in 1968, the musical spoof Dames at Sea opened at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre, starring Bernadette Peters.
Born on this day in 1953 baritone and teacher Sanford Sylvan.
Sixty years ago today soprano Birgit Nilssson made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Isolde.
On this day in 1937 soprano Zinka Milanov made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Il trovatore.
Born on this day in 1899 composer, playwright and actor Noel Coward.
Miss Bette Davis starred in the musical revue Two’s Company, which opened on this day in 1952 at the Alvin Theatre to run only 90 performances.
On this day in 1918 Puccini’s Il Trittico premiered at the Metropolitan Opera.
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.
