On this day in 1928 the American premiere of Richard Strauss’ Die ägyptische Helena took place at the Met, with Maria Jeritza in the title role.
On this day in 1883 the Metropolitan Opera presented its very first Traviata with Marcella Sembrich as Violetta.
Met debuts: In 1961 soprano Phyllis Curtin debuted as Fiordiligi…
On this night in 1924 Tullio Serafin made his Met debut conducting Aida.
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.
Our Doyenne wishes all the cher public a joyous and spooky All Hallows’ Eve.
On this day in 1975, Régine Crespin sang her first Met Carmen.
On this day in 1961 tenor Sandor Konya made his Met debut as Lohengrin.
Happy 80th birthday soprano Edda Moser.
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 63rd birthday soprano and teacher Cheryl Studer.
On this day in 1961 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with La fanciulla del West starring Leontyne Price, Richard Tucker and Anselmo Colzani.
On this day in 1883 the Metropolitan Opera House opened with Gounod’s Faust.
On this day in 2013 the world premiere of Nico Muhly‘s Two Boys took place at the Met.
Born on this day in 1889 actress Margaret Dumont.
On this day in 1994 baritone Bryn Terfel made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Figaro.
Born on this day in 1898 actress and singer Lotte Lenya.
On this day in 1991 soprano Deborah Voigt made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amelia.
Born on this day in 1962 baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
On this day in 1976, four Met debuts in Il trittico.
On this day in 1964 Metropolitan Opera’s opening night was a new production of Aida.
On this day in 1965 soprano Renata Scotto made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Cio-Cio-San.
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.
