July 27 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on July 27, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

← July 26 | July 28 →

Premieres & milestones

1935

The Glyndebourne Festival Opera presented Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro" during its inaugural season, helping establish the festival's international reputation for Mozart performance.

Le nozze di Figaro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Source

1953

The Bayreuth Festival reopened its 1953 season with Wagner's "Parsifal", continuing the post-war renewal of the festival under Wieland and Wolfgang Wagner.

Parsifal

Richard Wagner

Source

2010 Premiere

World premiere of Wolfgang Rihm’s opera "Dionysos" at the Salzburg Festival’s Haus für Mozart.

Source

Births & deaths

1824 Born

Birth of Italian librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni, best known for writing the libretto to Verdi’s "Aida".

Source

1846 Born

Spanish tenor Francisco Viñas, celebrated for his Wagnerian interpretations and performances at the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala, was born in Moià, Catalonia.

Source

1867 Born

Italian conductor Arturo Vigna, who led performances at La Scala, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, and other major opera houses, was born in Turin.

Source

1915 Born

Birth of Italian tenor Mario del Monaco in Florence; he became one of the leading dramatic tenors of the mid‑20th century.

Source

1946 Died

American writer Gertrude Stein died in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Her librettos include "Four Saints in Three Acts" and "The Mother of Us All", both composed by Virgil Thomson.

Source

1963 Died

Death of German mezzo-soprano Martha Rohs, who sang in the premiere of Richard Strauss’s "Daphne" and had a distinguished operatic career.

Source

1982 Born

Birth of American soprano Carol Vaness in Los Angeles, later known for her performances of Vitellia ("La clemenza di Tito") at Glyndebourne and the Met.

Source