December 4 — On This Day in Opera

World premiere of Gioachino Rossini's opera 'Otello' at the Teatro del Fondo in Naples.

Birth of Swedish dramatic tenor Leonard Labatt in Stockholm, later known for major roles including Wagner's 'Tannhäuser' and Meyerbeer's 'L'Africaine'.

Death of French mezzo-soprano Constance Nantier-Didiée in Madrid, remembered for her wide-ranging roles in Paris, London, Moscow, and Madrid.

Birth of American soprano Marcia van Dresser in Memphis; she later sang at the Metropolitan Opera and major European houses before pursuing a concert career.

Death of Russian bass opera singer Fyodor Stravinsky, a prominent member of the Mariinsky company and father of composer Igor Stravinsky, in Saint Petersburg (N.S. 4 December).

World premiere of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's comic opera 'L'amore medico' (in German as 'Der Liebhaber als Arzt') at the Hoftheater in Dresden.

The French Opera House in New Orleans, a major center of French-language opera in the United States since 1859, was destroyed by fire.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold's opera 'Die tote Stadt' received a rare double world premiere, opening simultaneously at the Stadttheater Hamburg and at the Cologne Opera.

The present Opéra Municipal de Marseille (Opéra de Marseille) opened, replacing the previous theatre that had been destroyed by fire in 1919.

Birth of Australian-born mezzo-soprano (later also soprano/contralto) Yvonne Minton in Sydney, who became a leading international opera and concert singer.

Birth of South African operatic tenor Helmut Holzapfel in Robertson, noted for roles in Mozart, Rossini, and Strauss at European opera houses.

Birth of English soprano Lillian Watson in London, whose career included extensive opera and concert appearances in the UK and Europe.

Death of English composer and conductor Benjamin Britten in Aldeburgh; he was a central figure in 20th-century opera with works such as 'Peter Grimes' and 'The Turn of the Screw'.

Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu made her Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Mimì in Puccini's 'La bohème'.

Death of Greek operatic soprano Elena Souliotis, famed in the 1960s for dramatic roles such as Verdi's 'Norma' and 'Abigaille', in Florence.

Death of Russian mezzo-soprano Zara Dolukhanova in Moscow, celebrated for her concert and opera work and for championing Russian art song.