MAY 11

1728 Birth of French composer and violinist Pierre GAVINIES in Bordeaux. d- Paris, 8 SEP 1800. aka Gaviniés, Gaviniez, Gavigniès, Gavignès, Gabignet. Opera, "Le Prétendu" (Paris, 1760).

1731 Birth of composer Johann Gottfried Seyfert

1738 FP of Hasse's "Alfonso" Dresden.

1772 Birth of composer Henri-Jean Rigel

1791 Birth of Bohemian composer Jan Vaclav Hugo VORISEK (Worzischek) in Wamberg. d-Vienna, 19 NOV 1825.

1797 FP of Dalayrac's "La Maison isolée" Paris.

1811 Birth of Italian baritone Filippo COLETTI in Anagni Italy. d-JUN 1894. Debut in Turco in Italia (Rossini) 1834. Teacher was Alessandro Busti. Pupil was Edouard De Reszke. Created Lusignano in Caterina Cornaro (Donizetti). Gusmano in Alzira (Verdi). Francesco in Masnadieri (Verdi). Duca D'Alba in Duca D'Alba (Pacini). Duca di Herz in Adolfo in Warbel (Pacini). Pietro Zampardi in Fidanza Corsa (Pacini). Gianni di Capua in Stella di Napoli (Pacini). Luchino Visconti in Margherita Pusterla (Pacini). Rodrigo in Vascello di Gama (Mercadante). Pelagio in Pelagio (Mercadante).

1827 Birth of American composer Septimus WINNER in Philadelphia, PA. d-1902.

1830 FP of Herold and Carafa's "L'Auberge d'Aurey" Paris.

1837 FP of Mercadante's "Il Giuramento" La Scala, Rome.

1840 Birth of composer Filippo Capocci

1849 Death of German composer Otto Nicolai at age 38, in Berlin. b-Konigsberg, 9 JUN 1810.

1855 (10th?)(GC, JC=29 APR) Russian composer Anatoly LIADOV, in St. Petersburg.

1864 FP of Guiraud's "Sylvie" Paris.

1877 Birth of soprano Anna SLAVIKOVA-JORDANOVA. d-2 APR 1948.

1881 Birth of composer Jan van Gilse

1881 Birth of composer Pascual Rogatis

1882 Birth of Austrian composer Joseph MARX in Graz. d-Graz, 3 SEP 1964.

1884 Birth of Romanian soprano Alma GLUCK in Bucarest, aka Reba Fiersohn, was in New York since age of five. Early recording soloist. m. Efram Zimbalist, violinist and teacher at Curtis Institute, Philadelphia. d-NYC, 27 OCT 1938. Gluck moved to the U.S. at an early age, and studied in New York. She auditioned for the Met's newly-appointed manager, Giulio Gatti- Casazza, and music director, Arturo Toscanini (1909). She left in 1912 to concentrate in concert performances. Gluck recorded for Victor and had the first million best seller 'Carry me back to old Virginny' (1914). She had a short career a little more than ten years at its peak, and fragile health ended her career in 1924. MET Opera Début: 16 NOV 1909 [Sophie] Werther, 7 seasons (1909-12, 13-15, 16-18) 109 perf., 19 roles, 17 works. Teachers were Alberto Buzzia-Peccia, Jean de Reszke, Marcella Sembrich.

1885 Birth of Dutch bass-baritone Joseph GROENEN in Waalwijk, Holland. d-29 MAR 1959.

1888 Birth of Belgian tenor Louis MORRISON in Antwerp. d-30 JAN 1934. Debut as Manrico in Trovatore (Verdi) 1 Oct 1909. Teachers were Edmond Delit, Edgard Tinel. Pupil was Desire Pauwels.

1888 Birth of American popular music composer Irving BERLIN aka Israel Balin in Mogilev. d-NYC, 22 SEP 1989 - 101 years.

1894 Birth of American dance coreographer Martha GRAHAM in Pittsburgh. d-1 APR 1991.

1895 (1898?) Birth of American composer William Grant STILL in Woodville, MS. d-LA, CA, 3 DEC 1978. Opera, "Blue Steel" (1934); "Troubled Island" (1941); "A Bayou Legend" (1940, PBS, 1981); "A Southern Interlude" (1943); "Costaso" (1950); "Mota" (1951); "The Pillar" (1956); "Minette Fontaine" (1958); "Highway 1, U.S.A." (Miami, 1963).

1896 Birth of composer Josip Slavenski

1898 Birth of Swedish bass Sven NILSSON in Gafla Gäfle, Sweden. d-Stockholm, 8 MAR 1970. MET Opera Début 9 NOV 1950. [Daland] Dutchman, 1 season (1950-51) 11 perf., 2 roles. Debut as Herald in Lohengrin (Wagner) 1930. Teachers were Ivar Andresen, Gillis Bratt, Hjaldis Ingebjart. Created Peneios in Daphne (Strauss). Sang in premiere of Rote Steifel (Sutermeister). Svart ar Vitt (Boldemann). Romeo und Julia (Sutermeister).

1902 Birth of Brazilian soprano Bidu SAYAO aka Balduina de Oliveira, Near Rio de Janeiro. d-Lincolnville, ME 12 MAR 1999. MET Opera Début 13 FEB 1937 [Manon] Manon, 16 seasons (1936-52) 236 perf., 12 works. Debut as Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) 1924. Teachers were Jean de Rezske, Elena Theodorini.

1905 Birth of American soprano Agnes DAVIS in Colorado Springs. Teachers were Florence Hinman, Emilio De Gogorza.

1905 Birth of tenor Paul-Henry VERGNES in Lagrasse. d-1974. Debut as Faust in Faust (Gounod) 1929.

1906 Death of baritone Gottardo Aldighieri. b-Lazise Lake Garda 6 JAN 1824. Debut as Germont in Traviata (Verdi) 1858. Teachers were Lamperti, E Lombardi, D Foroni. Created Barnaba in Gioconda (Ponchielli). Raoul in Gabriella di Vergy (Donizetti).

1909 Birth of composer Herbert Murrill

1910 Birth of composer Jorge Croner de Vasconcelos

1913 Birth of American composer and band arranger Clare GRUNDMAN.

1916 Death of German composer Max Reger in Leipzig at age 43 of heart attack. b-Brand, 19 MAR 1873.

1917 FP of Ferrucio Busoni's operas Arlecchino 'Harlequin' and Turandot at the Stadttheater in Zurich.

1928 Birth of German soprano Ingeborg REICHELT in Frankfurt. Teacher was Henny Wolff.

1931 Birth of American bass Arnold VOKETAITIS in East Haven, CT. Debut as Vanuzzi in Schweigsame Frau (Strauss) 1958. Teachers were Leila Edwards, Elda Ercole, Kurt Saffir. Created Stage Manager in 6 Characters in Search of an Author (Weisgall).

1938 Birth of American composer Harvey SOLLBERGER in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

1940 Birth of American visualist-music composer Ron PELLEGRINO.

1940 Birth of American baritone Ron BOTTCHER in Sandpoint, ID. d-NYC, 18 APR 1991. MET Opera Début 29 JUL 1966 [Amonasro] Aida, 3 seasons (1965-68) 118 perf. 15 roles, 12 works.

1941 FP of Henry Cowell´s Tales of the Countryside for piano and orchestra in Atlantic City, NJ.

1942 Death of German soprano Helena Forti. b-Berlin, 25 APR 1884. Teachers were Theodore Emmerich, Karl Scheidemantel. Created Myrtocle in Toten Augen (D'Albert).

1943 Birth of American composer George EDWARDS.

1944 Birth of American soprano Elaine CORMANY in Clifton, TX. Debut in Violetta in Traviata (Verdi) 1967. Teachers were Ellen Rapp, Vera R Nielson, Julie Drobner, Max Walmer.

1945 Birth of New Zealand cellist and conductor Ross POPLE.

1945 FP of Leonard Bernstein's Hashkiveinu with text from the Sabbath Evening Service for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in NYC.

1946 Birth of American composer Lenore von STEIN.

1947 Death of Swedish composer Ture Rangström, from throat cancer, at age 62, in Stockholm. b-Stockholm, 30 NOV 1884.

1948 FP of Henry Cowell's Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall. School of Music Faculty String Quartet.

1949 Birth of American soprano Ruth WELTING in Memphis. d-Ashville, NC 16 DEC 1999. (Cancer). MET Opera Début 20 MAR 1976 [Zerbinetta] Ariadne auf Naxos, 8 seasons (1975-76, 77-78, 80- 82, 89-90, 91-94) 52 perf., 5 works. Debut as Blondchen in Entfuhrung (Mozart) 1971. Teachers were Janine Reiss, Luigi Ricci, Daniel Ferro.

1950 Death of tenor Charles Rousseliere. b-St. Nazaire, 17 JAN 1875. Debut as Samson in Samson & Delilah (Saint-Saens) 1900. Teacher was Albert Vaguet. Created Giorgio in Amica (Mascagni). Eduardo in Don Procopio (Bizet). Tebaldo in Ancetre (Saint-Saens). Andreas in Theodora (Leroux). Toliak in Vieil Angle (Gunsbourg). Spakos in Cleopatre (Massenet).

1953 Birth of American experimental-music composer Steed COWART.

1954 Birth of Scottish composer Judith WEIR in Aberdeen.

1954 FP of Matyas Seiber´s Concertino for Clarinet and Strings in London.

1955 FP of Sir Arthur Bliss' Violin Concerto, in London.

1956 Birth of American composer Jane ELLEN in CA.

1956 Birth of Belgian composer Marc Achille MATTHYS in Gehnt.

1957 Birth of Italian tenor Giuseppe SABBATINI in Rome. MET Opera Début 10 NOV 1996 [Faust] La Damnation de Faust. Sang only one performance.

1960 FP of Chailly's "Il mantello" Florence.

1960 FP of Bucchi's "Una notte in Paradiso" Florence.

1961 Birth of Filipino pianist Cecile LICAD in Manila. Photo Gallery.

1963 Death of Italian tenor Guido Ciccolini in Rome. b-Rome, 1888. Debut as Alfredo in Traviata (Verdi) 1907. Teacher was Antonio Cotogni. Sang in premiere of Quattro Rusteghi (Wolf-Ferrari).

1963 FP of William Grant Still's opera A Southern Interlude. University of Miami Opera. It was later revised as Highway 1, U.S.A.

1966 FP of Andrew Imbrie's Symphony No. San Francisco Symphony.

1976 Death of mezzo-soprano Enid Cruickshank. Created Rachel in Pickwick (Coates).

1984 FP of John Harbison's Ulysses' Bow. New Haven Symphony, Murray Sidlin conducting.

1995 FP of John Adams' musical I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon in Berkeley, CA.

2000 FP of Colin Matthews' Pluto - The Renewer. Composed as an addition to Gustav Holst's The Planets. The Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting, in Manchester England.

CD: Holst: The Planets, Matthews: Pluto

2002 FP of Kenneth Frazelle's Concerto for Chamber Orchestra. Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting in Glendale, CA.