September 7 — On This Day in Opera

San Francisco Opera season opened with a double bill of Mascagni’s "Cavalleria Rusticana" and Leoncavallo’s "I Pagliacci".

Lucia Ronchetti's opera "Der Doppelgänger", with a libretto by Katja Petrowskaja based on Dostoevsky's novella "The Double", premiered at the Luzerner Theater in Lucerne.

Joan Cross, English soprano, opera director, and administrator closely associated with Benjamin Britten, was born in London. She created major roles in several Britten operas, including Ellen Orford in "Peter Grimes" and Queen Elizabeth I in "Gloriana".

Franz Wüllner, German conductor and composer who conducted the world premieres of Wagner's "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walküre" in Munich, died in Braunfels.

Giuseppe Giacomini, Italian dramatic tenor renowned for the operas of Verdi, Puccini, Giordano, and Leoncavallo, was born in Veggiano near Padua.

Angela Gheorghiu, Romanian soprano internationally celebrated for roles including Violetta in "La traviata", Mimì in "La bohème", and the title role in "Tosca", was born in Adjud, Romania.

Death of German heldentenor Ludwig Suthaus, admired for his Wagnerian roles.