You might have heard, but Beniamino Gigli and Lauritz Melchior were born on the same exact day – March 20, 1890. As such, it should not be a surprise that their careers overlapped in some unique ways. They both became major stars at the Met. They both appeared in the movies. They even shared an operatic role. But they also {…}
Lauritz Melchior remains one of the greatest Wagner tenors ever to perform. Born on March 20, 1890 in Copenhagen, he was a boy soprano and amateur singer in his youth. However, he would study at the Royal Opera School in Copenhagen and made his professional debut in 1913, as a baritone. During his time at the Royal Danish Opera, he {…}
Danish tenor Lauritz Melchior was the quintessential Wagner tenor while Beniamino Gigli was one of the most beloved Italian tenors that history has ever seen. Both were born on the same day – March 20, 1890. While they both made their professional debuts one year apart, the Dane’s came in 1913 while the Italian’s a year late in 1914, they {…}
Rudolf Bing’s name towers in the world of opera. The Austrian-born impresario, born on January 9, 1902, has an enduring legacy, in many ways tainted by the scandals and feuds Bing was known to have with the opera’s greatest figures and lesser-known figures during many of the company’s most tumultuous years. But to see the general manager who wielded his {…}