December 28 — On This Day in Opera

1841-12-28 — Donizetti’s "Lucia di Lammermoor" was performed for the first time in the United States (New Orleans; in French translation).

1850-12-28 — Birth of Italian dramatic tenor Francesco Tamagno (creator of Verdi’s Otello in the first performance).

1891-12-28 — Birth of Spanish coloratura soprano and pedagogue Elvira de Hidalgo (later teacher of Maria Callas).

1896-12-28 — Birth of American composer Roger Sessions (noted for large-scale vocal works including operatic projects).

1897-12-28 — Birth of Spanish lyric tenor Miguel Fleta.

1910-12-28 — Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera "Königskinder" had its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera (New York).

1925-12-28 — Death of American opera singer and voice teacher Kate Rolla (born Katherine Doane Wheat).

1937-12-28 — Death of French composer Maurice Ravel (composer of the opera "L’enfant et les sortilèges").

1963-12-28 — Death of German composer Paul Hindemith (composer of the opera "Cardillac").

2024-12-28 — World premiere of Sunleif Rasmussen’s chamber opera "Regin Smidur (Regin the Smith)" at Tjóðpallur Føroya (National Theatre of the Faroe Islands).