August 1 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on August 1, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

← July 31 | August 2 →

Premieres & milestones

1775 Premiere

The extensively revised three-act version of Christoph Willibald Gluck's "La Cythère assiégée" received its first performance at the Paris Opéra.

Source

1974 Premiere

Francesco Cavalli's "L'Egisto" received its United States premiere at Santa Fe Opera in a realization conducted by Raymond Leppard.

Source

2015 Premiere

Jennifer Higdon's first opera, "Cold Mountain", with a libretto by Gene Scheer, received its world premiere at Santa Fe Opera.

Source

2019 Premiere

Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer's opera "If I Were You" received its world premiere at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre, presented by the Merola Opera Program.

Source

Births & deaths

1831 Born

Italian operatic baritone and influential voice teacher Antonio Cotogni was born in Rome.

Source

1898 Born

Birth of Italian dramatic soprano Giuseppina Cobelli, who sang at La Scala and created the role of Silvana in Respighi’s *La fiamma* (1934).

Source

1919 Died

German-American opera impresario Oscar Hammerstein I, founder of the Manhattan Opera Company and builder of several New York opera houses, died in Manhattan.

Source

1973 Died

Italian composer and musicologist Gian Francesco Malipiero, whose output included numerous operas and music-theater works, died in Asolo.

Source