November 23 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on November 23, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

← November 22 | November 24 →

1802

Premiere of Étienne Méhul’s opéra comique "Joanna" at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

Source

1867

World premiere of Jacques Offenbach’s opéra comique "Robinson Crusoé" at the Opéra-Comique (Salle Favart), Paris.

Source

1876

Birth of Spanish composer Manuel de Falla (composer of the opera "La vida breve") in Cádiz.

Source

1892

Paris Opéra staging of Saint-Saëns’s "Samson et Dalila" conducted by Édouard Colonne (the work’s landmark Paris premiere).

Source

1899

World premiere of Antonín Dvořák’s opera "Čert a Káča" (The Devil and Kate) at the National Theatre, Prague.

Source

1903

Enrico Caruso makes his American and Metropolitan Opera debut as the Duke in Verdi’s "Rigoletto" (New York).

Source

1908

American premiere of Eugen d’Albert’s "Tiefland" at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, with Emmy Destinn and Erik Schmedes.

Source

1925

Birth of American soprano Maria di Gerlando (longtime New York City Opera artist).

Source

1955

Birth of American lyric coloratura soprano Harolyn Blackwell (Washington, D.C.).

Source

2017

Death of American soprano Carol Neblett in Los Angeles (age 71).

Source

2021

Metropolitan Opera premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s "Eurydice" (libretto by Sarah Ruhl), New York.

Source