August 5 — On This Day in Opera

Premiere of Reinhard Keiser’s singspiel "Octavia" at the Oper am Gänsemarkt in Hamburg.

Birth of French composer Ambroise Thomas, later known for his operas "Mignon" (1866) and "Hamlet" (1868).

The first performance of Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin" took place at the Weimar Court Theatre under the direction of Franz Liszt while Wagner remained in exile.

German soprano Erna Berger, renowned for Mozart and Strauss roles at the Berlin State Opera and the Vienna State Opera, was born in Dresden.

American soprano Claire Watson, a leading interpreter of Wagner and Strauss at the Bayreuth Festival, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Vienna State Opera, was born in New Orleans.

Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi made his debut as a baritone in "Madama Butterfly" at the Nuovo Teatro Verdi in Pesaro, beginning a career that later made him one of the greatest Verdi tenors.

French composer and conductor Henri Sauguet, remembered for operas including "La Chartreuse de Parme" and "Les Caprices de Marianne", died in Paris.

Death of American actress and avant‑garde opera singer Jane Lawrence Smith in New York City.