November 5 — On This Day in Opera

World premiere of Ruperto Chapí’s one-act opera "La serenata" at the Teatro Apolo in Madrid.

Siegfried Wagner's three-act opera "Schwarzschwanenreich" received its world premiere at the Großherzogliches Hoftheater in Karlsruhe, conducted by Fritz Cortolezis.

First complete performance of Gian Francesco Malipiero’s triptych opera "L’Orfeide" at the Stadttheater, Düsseldorf.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold's "Violanta" received its North American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with Maria Jeritza in the title role and Artur Bodanzky conducting.

Richard Strauss conducts "Salome" at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris, in a reduced-orchestra version as part of a Strauss festival.

North American premiere of Lully’s "Armide" by Opera Atelier in Toronto, conducted by Andrew Parrott and David Fallis.

Sarah Kirkland Snider's first opera, "Hildegard", received its world premiere at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills in a production presented by LA Opera, The Wallis and Beth Morrison Projects.

Attilio Ariosti, Italian Baroque composer, singer and viola d'amore player who wrote more than thirty operas and oratorios, was born in Bologna.

Birth of Serbian mezzo-soprano Biserka Cvejić (Vienna State Opera, MET debuts).

Nicholas Maw, British composer whose operas include "The Rising of the Moon" and "Sophie's Choice", was born in Grantham, England.

Birth of English operatic tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson in Tackley, Oxfordshire.

Birth of Polish soprano Monika Buczkowska (later a member of Oper Frankfurt).

Virginia MacWatters, American coloratura soprano who sang with the San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera, died at the age of 93.

Death of American mezzo-soprano/soprano Shirley Verrett in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Shirley Verrett, the celebrated American mezzo-soprano and soprano renowned for Verdi, Donizetti and French opera roles, died in Ann Arbor, Michigan.