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January 16 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on January 16, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

← January 15 | January 17 →

Premieres & milestones

1843 Premiere
Daniel-François-Esprit Auber’s opéra comique "La part du diable" premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
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2026 Premiere
The Sámi opera "Ovllá" (composed by Cecilia Damström; libretto by Siri Broch Johansen) is scheduled to premiere at Oulu City Theatre (main stage).
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Births & deaths

1886 Died
Italian opera composer Amilcare Ponchielli ("La Gioconda") died in Milan.
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1891 Died
French opera and ballet composer Léo Delibes ("Lakmé") died in Paris.
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1934 Born
American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
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