MAY 17

Carl Friedrich Zollner

1568 Birth of composer Christoph Thomas Walliser

1732 Birth of composer Francesco Pasquale Ricci

1779 FP of Willibald Von Gluck's opera Iphigénie en Tauride 'Iphigenia in Taurus', at the Paris Opéra.

1800 Birth of composer Carl Friedrich Zollner

1801 FP of Isouard's "Le tonnelier humide" Paris.

1803 FP of Beethoven's Kreutzer sonata. Beethoven, piano; Bridgetower, violinist at the Augarten in Vienna.

1805 Birth of Spanish baritone and teacher Manuel GARCIA, Jr. in Madrid. d-1 JUL 1906. Debut as Figaro in Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) 1825. Teachers was Manuel del Populo Vicente Garcia (his father). Pupils were Malvina Garrigues, Hermann Klein, Busine, Joseph Theodoe Barbot, Charles Battaille, Erminia Frezzolini, Eugenie Garcia (his wife), Gustave Garcia (his son), Catherine Hayes, Jenny Lind, Julius Gunther, Malcolm Sterling McKinley, Mathilde Marchesi, Henriette Nissen, Elise Polke, Adelaide Phillips, Charles Santley, Emil Scaria, Anna Schoen-Rene, Antoinette Sterling, Julius Stockhausen, Malvina Schnorr von Carolsfield, Hans Feodor von Milde, Fernando Valero, Jessi Bond, Johanna Wagner, Scott Russell, Johannes Elmblad, Anna Schimon-Regan, Henry Wood, Adolf Schulze, Margaret McIntyre.

1805 FP of Cavos' "The Invisable Prince" St. Petersburg.

1806 FP of Méhul's "Uthal" Paris.

1808 Birth of composer Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel

1819 Birth of composer Johann Nepomuk Kafka

1823 Birth of contralto and composer Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby

1838 FP of Hullah's "The Outpost" London.

1838 FP of Balfe's "Diadeste, or The Vieled Lady" in English, London.

1846 Birth of English opera singer Alice BARNETT in London. d-London, 14 APR 1901. Was tall and it was no doubt with her physical appearance in mind that W. S. Gilbert crated the massive ´Lady Jane´ in Patience. Search  for Alice BARNETT

1847 Death of German composer Fanny Cecile Mendelssohn Hensel. b-14 NOV 1805. Sister of Felix Mendelssohn.

1850 Birth of composer Antonio Scontrino

1853 Birth of Swedish soprano Karolina OESTBERG in Stockholm. d-27 FEB 1924. Debut as Annchen in Freischutz (Weber) 1873. Teacher was Julius Gunther.

1864 Birth of German soprano Elisabeth LEISINGER. d-16 OCT 1974.

1866 Birth of French composer Erik Alfred-Leslie SATIE in Honfleur. He dropped out of the Paris Conservatory not long after entering at age 13. Known for his eccentricities and verbal virtuosity. d-Paris, 1 JUL 1925. Operas, "Geneviève de Brabant" (marionette opera 1899); "Le Piège de Méduse" (lyric comedy (1913). Search Erik Alfred-Leslie SATIE

1879 FP of Graffigna's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" Padua.

1880 Death of composer Henri Cohen. b-1808.

1881 Birth of Argentine composer Pascual de ROGATIS.

1884 FP by Australian soprano Nellie Melba in Melbourne.

1885 Birth of Czech soprano Marie SLECHTOVA in Prague. d-28 DEC 1953. Debut as Blazenka in Secret (Smetana) 25 Feb 1909.

1886 ('88?)Birth of Dutch soprano Elisabeth OHMS in Arnhem, Netherlands. d-Marquardstein, 16 OCT 1974. MET Opera Début, 17 JAN 1930 [Brünnhilde] Götterdammerung, 3 seasons (1929-32) 8 roles, 9 works. Debut 1921. Teachers were Eduard Bellwidt, Jacob Heuckeroth, Morello, Rose Schonberg, C. H. Van Oort.

1889 Birth of Norwegian tenor Karl Åagard OESTVIG in Oslo, d-21 JUL 1968. Debut 1914. Teachers were W. Kloed, Fritz Steinbach, Franz Wullner. Pupil was Arne Hendriksen. Created Emperor in Frau Ohne Schatten (Strauss). Giovanni in Mona Lisa (Schillings).

1889 Birth of French flautist and teacher Marcel MOYSE in Saint-Amour.

1890 FP of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. w/husband & wife; Gemma Bellincioni (s) (1864-1950) It. [Santuza]; Roberto Stagno (t) (1836-1897) It. [Turiddu].

1890 Birth of American composer, conductor and teacher Philip JAMES.

1891 Birth of Russian soprano Elena STEPANOVA in Moscow. d-26 MAY 1978. Debut as Antonida in Ivan Susannin (Glinka) 1912. Teacher was Polli. Created Princess Swan in Legend of Tsar Sultan (Rimsky Korsakov).

1896 Birth of composer Brazilio da Cunha Luz Itibere

1899 Birth of German baritone Vekoslav YANKO in Maribar. d-30 SEP 1973.

1900 Birth of Russian violinist and composer Nicolai BEREZOWSKY in St. Petersburg. Came to NYC in 1922. d-1953.

1901 Birth of German composer Werner EGK in Auchsesheim. d-Munich. 10 JUL 1983. His real name Werner Mayer. Enjoyed favor during the Nazi reign, which made it necessary for him to stand trial before the Allied Committee for the de-Nazification proceedings (1947); the committee absolved him of political taint. [Egk, (real name Mayer) Werner (con/com/opera) It's said that his last name of choice is an acronym for "ein grosser Komponist," meaning "a great composer." ] Operas, "Die Zaubergeige" (Frankfurt, 1935 [rev] 1954); "Peer Gynt" (Berlin. 1938); "Circe" (Berlin, 1948 [rev] as "17 Tage und 4 Minuten" 1966); "Irische Legende" (Salzburg, 1955 [rev] 1970); "Der Revisor" (Schwetzingen, 1957); ""Die Verlobung in San Domingo" (Munich, 1963).

1901 Birth of German tenor Josef WITT in Munich. d-Vienna, 3 JAN 1994. MET Opera Début 17 DEC 1984, [Peasant] Le Prophète, 2 seasons (1984-85, 88-89) 18 perf., 2 works. Debut 1920. Pupils were Norman Bailey, Walter Berry, Mimi Coertse, Anny Felbermayer, Frederick Guthrie, Ernst Gutstein, Gertrude Jahn, Margarita Kyriaki, Antigone Sgourda. Created Robespierre in Danton's Tod (Von Einem).

1901 810th?)Birth of German tenor Max LORENZ in Düsseldorf. d-Vienna, 12 JAN 1975. Studied in Berlin and became a principal tenor at Dresden (1928). From 1933, he was at the Berlin Staatsoper and Bayreuth, and again in 1952, Covent Garden (1934 & 37) and in many other houses in Europe and the USA. He became a member of the Vienna Staatsoper (1937); appearing at many Salzburg Festivals and creating roles in such new works as von Einem's Der Prozess (1953); Liebermann's Penelope (1954); and Wagner-Régeny's Das Bergwerk zu Falun (1961). For almost 30 years was a prominent Wagnerian tenor, celebrated as [Tristan, Siegfried and Walther]. He was also a notable [Otello, Bacchus, and Herod]. Late in his career he showed his versatility in a number of smaller and less characteristic parts, but he continued to be a striking [Tristan and Florestan] into the mid-1950s. MET Opera Début 12 NOV 1931 [Walther] Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, 5 seasons (1931-32, 33-34, 47-50) 53 perf. 11 works.

1901 Benedictine monks of Solesmes in Abbey France were praised by Pope Leo XIII for their work restoring the Gregorian chant.

1902 Birth of Italian conductor Fausto CLEVA, in Trieste. d-1971 in Athens, collapsed while conducting at the podium of the ancient Herod Atticus Theater while conducting an open-air performance of Gluck's Orfeo. MET Opera Debut 4 DEC 1938, Rhapsody in Blue, 25 seasons (1938-42, 50-71) 958 perf., 33 works.

1902 Birth of composer John Vincent

1904 FP of Maurice Ravel's Schéhérazade. Jane Hatto and Alfred Cortot, conducting in Paris.

1904 FP of Dupont's "La Cabrera" Milan.

1906 (08?)Birth of Croatian-American (Yugoslavian) soprano Zinka MILANOV (Kunc), in Zagreb. d-NYC, 30 MAY 1989. aka Zinka Kunç. MET Opera Début 17 DEC 1937 [Leonora] Il Trovatore, 25 seasons (1937-41, 42-47, 50- 66) 447 perf., 14 works. Milanov chose as her best recording: The complete Il Trovatore, for RCA, with J. Björling and L. Warren. Debut as Leonora in Trovatore (Verdi) Oct 1927. Teachers were Fernando Carpi, Maria Kostrencic, B Kunc, Jacques Stuckgold, Milka Ternina, Ettore Verna. Pupils were Betty Allen, Christa Ludwig.

1908 Birth of English bass David FRANKLIN in London. d-Worchester, 22 OCT 1973. Debut as Commendatore in Don Giovanni 1936. Teachers were Ursula Nettleship, Jani Strasser. Pupils were Richard Van Allan, Dennis Wicks. Created Mars in Olympians (Bliss).

1908 Birth of composer Sigismund Toduta

1912 (1905 ?)Birth of Hungarian violinist and conductor Sandor VEGH. d-Salzburg, 6 JAN 1997. Director of Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra.

1914 Birth of composer Guido Masanetz

1914 FP of Weingartner's "Kain und Abel" Darmstadt.

1916 American composer Henry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949) is awarded the Spingarn Medal, from the NAACP, for highest achievement by an American citizen of African descent.

1918 (1923?) Birth of Swedish soprano Birgit NILSSON  in Karup. d-25 DEC 2005. MET Opera Début, 18 DEC 1959 [Isolde] Tristan und Isolde, 20 seasons (1959-75, 79-82, 83-84) 222 perf., 16 roles, 14 works. Debut as Agathe in Freischutz 1946. Teachers were Ragnar Blennow, Joseph Hislop, Ragnar Hultan, Arne Sunnergardh, Alan Lindquest. Pupil was Marjorie Ginczinger, Janice Baird.

1919 FP of the orchestration of Maurice Ravel's Alborado del Gracioso at Pasdeloup Concert, in Paris.

1921 Birth of English hornist and organist Dennis BRAIN. d-auto crash 1957.

1923 Birth of American composer Peter MENNIN, in Erie, PA. President of Juilliard School of Music in 1962. d- NYC, 17 JUN 1983.

1924 Birth of French baritone Gabriel BACQUIER in Beziers. MET Opera Début 17 OCT 1964 [High Priest] Samson et Dalila, 13 seasons. Debut in Le Feu (Landowski) 1953. Teachers were Mme Bastar, Paul Cabanel. Pupil was Antoine Bernheim. Created Abdul in Last Savage (Menotti). Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano de Bergerac (Danblon). Andrea Sarto in Andrea del Sarto (Lesur). Sang in FP of Pour un Don Quichotte (Riviere).

1924 Birth of composer Frantisek Kovaricek

1929 Death of German soprano Lilli Lehmann. b-Wurzburg, 24 NOV 1848. Debut as 1st Boy in Zauberflote (Mozart) 20 Oct 1865. Teacher was Marie Loewe. Pupils were Herman Brag, Lucia Chagnon, Leonora Corona, Franz Egenieff, Geraldine Farrar, Res Fischer, Erna Gerstmann, Poul Hansen, Hedwig Helbig, Kathleen Howard, Paul Kalisch, Walter Kirchoff, Emmy Kruger, Melanie Kurt, Rudolf Laubenthal, Marie Lehmann, Germaine Lubin, Lula Mysz-Gmeiner, Edith Nicholls, Sigrid Onegin, Gerhard Stehmann, Marian Telva, Viorica Ursuleac, Erika Wedekind, Matje Von Niessen-Stone, Marian Weld, Alma Wertheim, Florence Wickham, Elsie Houston, Darrell Fancour. Created Cristina in Goldene Kreuz (Brull). Naomi in Maccabees (Rubinstein). Viviane in Merlin (Goldmark). Woglinde in Gotterdammerung (Wagner). Forest Bird in Siegfried (Wagner).

1929 FP of Prokofiev's Third Symphony. Monteux conducting in Paris.

1930 FP of Deshevov's "Ice and Steel" Leningrad.

1931 FP of Hába's "Die Mutter" Prague.

1933 Birth of German tenor Herbert BECKER in Oberhausen. d-14 MAY 1999.

1933 FP of Henry Cowell's Reel for small orchestra, in NYC.

1935 Death of French composer Paul Dukas in Paris. b-1 OCT 1865.

1936 Birth of composer Philippe BOESMANS.

1939 FP of Serge Prokofiev's cantata Alexander Nevsky in Moscow.

1941 Birth of composer David Howell Cope

1944 Birth of English pianist Paul CROSSLEY.

1945 Birth of English baritone Brian Rayner COOK.

1946 FP of Frank Martin's Petite Symphonie Concertante. Paul Sacher conducting in Zurich.

1950 Birth of Turkish composer Nejat BASEGMEZLER.

1951 Birth of composer and pianist Paul AMROD.

1956 FP of Ward's "He Who Gets Slapped" in NYC. Revised in 1973.

1958 Birth English conductor Ivor BOLTON. Studied at Clare College and the Royal College of Music, followed by a year at the National Opera Studio.

1960 FP of Ned Rorem's 11 Studies for 11 Players   for chamber ensemble, Rorem conducting at the State University of Buffalo, NY.

1969 Death of mezzo-soprano Marie Olczewska. b-Donauworth Bavaria, 12 AUG 1892. Debut as Page in Tannhauser (Wagner) 1915. Teacher was Karl Erler. Pupil was Josephine Veasey. Created Obscura in Princessin auf der Erbse (Fleck). Brigitta in Tote Stadt (Korngold).

1969 Leonard Bernstein conducts his final concert as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. He conducted 939 performances with the orchestra of them 831 as its Music Director and he conducted 36 world premieres with the NY Philharmonic.

1971 Birth of composer Jason ECKARDT.

1978 Philips Electronics of The Netherlands announces new digital sound reproduction reproduction system from flat, silver 'Compact Discs'.

1980 Death of bass Ernst Wiemann. b-Stapleburg, 21 DEC 1919. Debut 1938. Sang in FP of Grune Kakadu (Mohaupt).

1980 Death of soprano Marie Kurenko. b-Tomsk Siberia, 1891. Debut as Antonida ln Ivan Susannin (Glinka) 1916. Teachers were Umberto Mazzetti, Gontzoff.

1982 Death of soprano Ester Mazzoleni  . b-Sebenico, 12 MAR 1883. Debut as Leonora in Trovatore (Verdi) 24 Jan 1906 Teachers were Ravasio, Amelia Pinto. Sang in FP of Figlia del Re (Lualdi).

1982 FP of Hoiby's "Something new for the Zoo".

1990 FP of Einojuhani Rautavaara's Vincent at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki.

2000 FP of Michael Torke's Corner in Manhattan.Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue conducting.

2001 FP of Christopher Rouse's Clarinet Concerto. Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, with Larry Combs.

2002 Death of American oboist John de Lancie, former principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra and director of the Curtis Institute of Music. Obit. Father of actor John de Lancie CD-Strauss: Oboe Concerto/de Lancie, soloist