April 4 — On This Day in Opera

Italian tenor Franco Corelli made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Manrico in Verdi's "Il trovatore".

American composer John Adams, later known for operas including "Nixon in China" and "Doctor Atomic", premiered the orchestral work "Christian Zeal and Activity" early in his career, marking the beginning of a compositional path that would later lead to his major operas.

Italian composer Giovanni Paisiello, known for operas including "Il barbiere di Siviglia" and "Nina, o sia La pazza per amore", died in Naples.

Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin, one of the most influential opera singers of the 20th century and famous for roles such as "Boris Godunov", was born in Kazan.

American baritone and opera director Robert Merrill, later a leading singer at the Metropolitan Opera in roles such as "Rigoletto" and "La traviata", was born in Brooklyn, New York.