On this day in 1981 Stephen Sondheim‘s Merrily We Roll Along opened at the Alvin Theatre, to run 16 performances.
On this day in 1918 soprano Rosa Ponselle made her Metropolitan Opera debut (and her first appearance in opera!) as Leonora in La forza del destino.
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Leonie Rysanek.
On this day in 1906 Alla Nazimova made her Broadway debut in the title role of Hedda Gabler at the Princess Theatre.
Born on this day in 1939 soprano Lucia Popp.
On this day in 1993 Dvorak’s Rusalka finally appeared at the Met, with Gabriela Benacková in the title role.
Born on this day in 1889 film and stage actor Claude Rains.
Born on this day in 1883 stage and film actress Edna May Oliver.
On this day in 1965 bass Nicolai Ghiaurov made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Méphistophélès.
Happy 83rd birthday soprano Gwyneth Jones.
On this day in 1928 the Metropolitan Opera presented the American premiere of Richard Strauss‘s Die Ägyptische Helena.
Happy 47th birthday baritone Mariusz Kwiecien.
On this day in 1954 Godzilla made his film debut in the classic kaiju film directed by Ishirö Honda.
On this day in 2005 mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato made her Met debut as Cherubino.
Born on this day in 1923 soprano Victoria de los Angeles.
Happy Halloween, cher public!
On this day in 1940, the musical Panama Hattie opened at the 46th Street Theatre, to run 501 performances.
On this day in 1956 Maria Callas made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Norma.
Born on this day in 1898 costume designer Edith Head.
On this day in 1958 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with Tosca, featuring Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco and George London.
On this day in 1959 mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Azucena.
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Galina Vishnevskaya.
Happy 64th birthday soprano Cheryl Studer.
Born on this day in 1844 actress Sarah Bernhardt.
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.
