1823
Premiere
Carl Maria von Weber completed the overture to his opera "Euryanthe", six days before the work’s first performance in Vienna.
October 19 — On This Day in Opera
This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on October 19, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.
Premieres & milestones
1835
Died
Death of Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini in Puteaux, France.
1839
Premiere
Vincenzo Bellini’s "I puritani" received its premiere at the Bolshoi (Kamennyi) Theatre in Saint Petersburg with the Imperial Russian Opera Company.
1845
Premiere
Richard Wagner’s "Tannhäuser" received its world premiere at the Königlich Sächsisches Hoftheater in Dresden.
1884
Premiere
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s "Eugene Onegin" received its premiere at the Bolshoi (Kamenny) Theatre in Saint Petersburg.
1960
Premiere
Vincenzo Bellini’s "La sonnambula" received its Royal Opera company premiere at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
1967
Premiere
Aarre Merikanto’s "Juha" entered the Finnish National Opera repertory with the premiere of its 1967 production.
2006
Premiere
Dominique Le Gendre’s two-act opera "Bird of Night", with a libretto by Paul Bentley, received its world premiere by The Royal Opera at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Covent Garden.
Births & deaths
1900
Born
German coloratura soprano Erna Berger was born in Cossebaude; she later became a member of the Vienna and Berlin State Operas and appeared internationally.
1903
Born
American composer Vittorio Giannini was born in Philadelphia; his operas include "Lucedia", "The Scarlet Letter" and "The Taming of the Shrew".
1934
Born
American soprano Benita Valente was born in Delano, California; she later made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Pamina in Mozart’s "The Magic Flute".
2014
Died
American composer Stephen Paulus, who wrote nine works for the dramatic stage including the opera "The Postman Always Rings Twice", died.
2022
Died
American mezzo-soprano Joanna Simon died at age 85; her operatic career included premieres of roles in Thomas Pasatieri’s "Black Widow" and Robert Starer’s "The Last Lover".
Browse by date
January 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
February 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
March 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
April 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
May 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
June 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
July 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
August 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
September 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
October 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
November 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
December 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031