1846
Premiere
World premiere of Hector Berlioz’s "La damnation de Faust" (légende dramatique) at the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
December 6 — On This Day in Opera
This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on December 6, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.
Premieres & milestones
1856
Premiere
First performance of Verdi’s opera "La traviata" in France, given in Italian by the Théâtre-Italien at the Salle Ventadour in Paris.
1890
Premiere
World premiere of Berlioz’s grand opera "Les Troyens" at the Großherzogliches Hoftheater in Karlsruhe, Germany.
1941
Swedish-American soprano Astrid Varnay makes a sensational last-minute Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde in Wagner’s "Die Walküre" in New York, one of the most celebrated debuts in Met history.
Births & deaths
1804
Born
Birth of German operatic soprano Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient in Hamburg, later famed for her intensely dramatic performances in works by Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, and Wagner.
1833
Born
Birth of Italian contralto Barbara Marchisio in Turin, celebrated for her bel canto and Rossini roles and often performing with her soprano sister Carlotta Marchisio.
1895
Born
Birth of English soprano Elsie Griffin in Bristol, later renowned for her performances in the Savoy Operas with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.
1938
Born
Birth of Dutch operatic coloratura soprano Wilma Driessen (Wilhelmina Jacoba Driessen), noted for her versatility in opera, operetta, and musical theatre.
1962
Born
Birth of Czech operatic soprano Ludmila Vernerová in Prague, later a long-time member of the Prague State Opera and noted for roles from Baroque to Romantic repertoire.
1964
Born
Birth of Italian soprano Silvia Piccollo in Genoa, active in concert and opera, particularly in Baroque and Classical repertoire.
1967
Died
Death of American soprano and composer Lillian Evanti (Annie Wilson Lillian Evans) in Washington, D.C., a pioneering African American opera singer who performed with major European companies.
2010
Died
Death of Swiss tenor Hugues Cuénod in Vevey at the age of 108; noted for his extraordinarily long career and wide repertoire from early music to modern works.
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