June 19 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on June 19, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

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Premieres & milestones

2025 Premiere

Scheduled world premiere of the Afrofuturist opera _Lalovavi_ by Kevin Day and Tifara Brown at Cincinnati Opera (Juneteenth celebration).

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Births & deaths

1842 Born

Birth of Austrian composer Carl Zeller, known for operettas such as _Der Vogelhändler_ and _Joconde_.

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1854 Born

Birth of Italian composer Alfredo Catalani, remembered for his operas _La Wally_ and _Loreley_.

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1895 Born

Birth of Russian soprano Anna Leskaya, prominent on early 20th‑century European opera stages.

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1995 Died

Death of Austrian tenor and opera director Murray Dickie at age 71.

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1996 Died

Death of American opera director Alan Ande Anderson at age 78.

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