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December 18 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on December 18, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

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Premieres & milestones

1892 Premiere
On 1892-12-18, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s opera "Iolanta" received its world premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg (double bill with "The Nutcracker").
Iolanta
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1926 Premiere
On 1926-12-18, Leoš Janáček’s opera "The Makropulos Affair" received its world premiere at the National Theatre in Brno.
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Births & deaths

1920 Born
Birth of German lyric coloratura soprano Rita Streich on 1920-12-18 (born in Barnaul), later celebrated for Mozart, Strauss, and operetta roles.
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1949 Died
Death of soprano Zélie de Lussan on 1949-12-18 in London; she had appeared with Beecham’s companies and at Covent Garden, among other engagements.
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1967 Died
Death of American operatic soprano Mabel Riegelman on 1967-12-18 in Burlingame, California; she was known for roles including Gretel.
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2023 Died
Death of American mezzo-soprano Clara O’Brien on 2023-12-18 (reported as shortly before midnight), a performer and professor associated with UNC Greensboro.
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