1814
Gaspare Spontini’s "Fernand Cortez" was staged in Berlin for the first time, beginning an important new phase in the performance history of the opera.
October 15 — On This Day in Opera
This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on October 15, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.
Premieres & milestones
1878
Ernestine Schumann-Heink made her operatic debut at the Dresden Hofoper as Azucena in Verdi’s "Il trovatore".
1880
Premiere
Arthur Sullivan’s sacred musical drama "The Martyr of Antioch" received its first performance at the Leeds Triennial Music Festival.
1883
The Dallas Opera House opened at St. Paul and Main streets with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s "Iolanthe".
1885
Premiere
Alexander Ritter’s opera "Der faule Hans" received its world premiere at the Royal Court Opera in Munich, conducted by Hermann Levi with Heinrich Vogl in the title role.
1893
Premiere
Premiere of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s opera "La bohème" at the Teatro Constantino in Naples.
1926
Premiere
Ernest Bryson’s opera "The Leper's Flute", with a libretto by Ian Colvin, received its world premiere in Glasgow by the British National Opera Company.
1932
San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House was inaugurated with Puccini’s "Tosca", starring Claudia Muzio and conducted by San Francisco Opera founder Gaetano Merola.
1938
Premiere
Richard Strauss’s one-act opera "Daphne" received its world premiere at the Staatsoper in Dresden.
1963
Roger Sessions completed the full score of his three-act opera "Montezuma", a work he had developed over many years.
1976
Hildegard Behrens made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Giorgetta in Puccini’s "Il tabarro", performed as part of "Il trittico".
2010
Premiere
Jonathan Dawe’s opera "Cracked Orlando" received its world premiere at Columbia University’s Italian Academy in New York.
2017
Premiere
Anton Rubinstein’s religious opera "Moses", composed in 1885–1891 but never previously performed complete, received its world-premiere concert performance at the Warsaw Philharmonic.
2022
Premiere
Pierangelo Valtinoni’s opera "Il piccolo principe", commissioned by Teatro alla Scala, received its world premiere at La Scala in Milan.
2024
Premiere
Osvaldo Golijov’s "Ainadamar" received its Metropolitan Opera premiere in New York, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya in a production by Deborah Colker.
Births & deaths
1889
Born
Irish operatic soprano Margaret Burke Sheridan, later particularly celebrated for her performances of Puccini, was born in Castlebar, County Mayo.
1896
Born
Birth of Italian conductor and composer Nino Rota, best known for his film scores but also for opera and incidental works.
1918
Died
Italian baritone Antonio Cotogni, one of the leading operatic baritones of the 19th century and an important interpreter and teacher of Verdi’s music, died in Rome.
1926
Died
German-born soprano Mathilde Bauermeister, a longtime Covent Garden and Metropolitan Opera character singer whose repertoire approached 100 roles, died in Herne Bay, England.
1969
Died
Death of English operatic tenor Leo Slezak, known for his heroic tenor roles at the Metropolitan Opera and Vienna State Opera.
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