October 21 — On This Day in Opera

Premiere of Antonio Salieri’s dramma eroicomico "La secchia rapita" at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna.

First performance of André Grétry’s opéra comique "Richard Cœur-de-lion" by the Comédie-Italienne at the first Salle Favart, Paris.

World premiere of Jacques Offenbach's opéra-bouffon "Orphée aux enfers" (Orpheus in the Underworld) at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens in Paris. The original two-act version, with a libretto by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy, satirized classical mythology and contemporary Parisian society. Its famous galop later became associated with the can-can.

World premiere of Louis Varney's three-act opéra-comique "Fanfan-la-Tulipe" at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques in Paris. With a libretto by Paul Ferrier and Jules Prével, the production featured Maximilien Bouvet in the title role and Juliette Simon-Girard as Pimprenelle.

Broadway premiere of Franz Lehár's operetta "The Merry Widow" at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York. The English-language production, starring Ethel Jackson as Sonia and Donald Brian as Prince Danilo, became a major success and ran for 416 performances.

Premiere of Frederick Delius’s opera "Fennimore und Gerda" at Oper Frankfurt (premiere delayed by World War I).

Premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera "The Last Savage" (Le dernier sauvage) at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

Plácido Domingo made his United States operatic debut with New York City Opera, singing the title role in Alberto Ginastera's opera "Don Rodrigo". The performance marked an important step in the tenor's international career.

Scott Joplin's opera "Treemonisha" opened on Broadway at the Uris Theatre in New York. The production, directed by Frank Corsaro with orchestration by Gunther Schuller, brought Joplin's long-neglected opera to a wider theatrical audience, decades after its composition.

Birth of French composer Napoléon-Henri Reber in Mulhouse, Alsace. A professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire, he wrote several opéras-comiques, including "La Nuit de Noël", "Le Père Gaillard", and "Les Dames capitaines".

Birth of Italian playwright and librettist Giuseppe Giacosa in Colleretto Parella, near Ivrea. Together with Luigi Illica, he wrote the librettos for three of Giacomo Puccini's most celebrated operas: "La bohème", "Tosca", and "Madama Butterfly".

Birth of Austrian-British composer and musicologist Egon Wellesz in Vienna. A pupil of Arnold Schoenberg, he composed several operas, including "Prinzessin Girnara", "Alkestis", and "Die Bakchantinnen", while also becoming an important scholar of Byzantine music.

Birth of Hungarian-British conductor Sir Georg Solti in Budapest. One of the twentieth century's most influential opera conductors, he served as music director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and made a landmark complete studio recording of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen".

Birth of British composer Sir Malcolm Arnold in Northampton, England. Best known for his symphonies, concertos, and film scores, he also composed operas, including "The Dancing Master" and "The Open Window".

Birth of Romanian soprano Virginia Zeani, renowned Violetta and major bel canto interpreter.

Death of Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink in London, aged 92. A leading interpreter of Wagner, Mozart, and Richard Strauss, he was music director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, leaving an extensive legacy of operatic performances and recordings.