MAY 5

1627 Funeral of Italian composer Domenico Belli in Florence. Opera, "Orfeo Dolente."

1657 Birth of composer Jacques Danican Philidor

1680 Birth of composer Giuseppe Porsile

1708 Birth of German composer Johann Adolf SCHEIBE in Leipzig. d-Copenhagen, Denmark, 22 APR 1776.

1715 Birth of composer Daniel Dal Barba

1726 (JC, GC=16 MAY) FP of Handel's operaAlessandro at King's Theater, London.

1738 FP of Corselli's "Alessandro nelle Indie" Madrid.

1742 Birth of Italian soprano Elisabetta PILOTTI-SCHIAVONETTI. Created Armida in Rinaldo (Handel). Amarillis in Pastor Fido (Handel). Medea in Teseo (Handel). Melissa in Amadigi (Handel). Meletta in Silla (Handel). Sang in FP of Antioco (Gasparini). Ambleto (Gasparini). Etearco (Bononcini).

1742 FP of Jommelli's "Eumene" Bologna.

1748 Birth of Italian composer Francesco AZOPARDI in Rabat, Malta. d-6 FEB 1909.

1748 Handel starts composing his oratorio Solomon featuring The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

1749 Birth of Alsatian teacher, composer, pianist and harpsichordist Jean-Frédéric [Johann Fredrich] EDELMANN in Strasbourg. d-Paris, executed by guillotine, 17 JUL 1794. Opera, "La Bergère des Alpes" (Paris, 1781); "Adriane dans l'isle de Naxos" (Paris, 1782); "Diane et l'mour" opera-ballet, Paris, (1802); Oratorio: "Esther" (not extant, Paris, 1781).

1755 FP of Gluck's "La danza" Vienna.

1756 Birth of Italian castrato Vincenzo Dal PRATO in Imola. d-1828. Debut 1772. Teacher was Lorenzo Gibelli. Debut as Idamante in Idomeneo. Sang in FP of Semiramide (Salieri). Tancredi (Holzbauer). Castore e Polluce (Vogler).

1764 FP of Giardini's "Enea e Lavinia" London.

1796 FP of Handel's "Alessandro" London.

1812 FP of Hummel's "Dies Haus ist zu verkaufen" singspiel, Vienna.

1816 Birth of Italian composer Achelli GRAFFIGAN in Martino dall' Argine, nr Mantua. d-Padua, 19 JUL 1896. Opera, "Ilsegonda e Rizzardo" (La Scala, 1841); "Eleonora di san Bonifacio" (Verona, 1843); "Maria di Brabante" (Trieste, 1852); "L'assedio di Malta" (Padua, 1853); "Gli Studente" Lilan, 1857); "Veronica cibo" (Mantua, 1858, rev. "La dichessa di San Giuliano"); "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (Padua, 1879; intended as a homage to Rossini); "Il matrimonio segreto" (Florence, 1883); "La buona figliuola" (Milan, 1886).

1819 Birth of Polish composer Stanislaw MONIUSZKO in Ubiel, Minsk. d-Warsaw, 4 JUN 1872.

1819 Birth of Italian baritone Achille De BASSINI in Milan. d-3 JUL 1881. Debut as Belisario in Belisario (Donizetti) 1837. Teacher was Perelli. Pupil was Alberto De Bassini. Created Melitone in Forza Del Destino (Verdi). Francesco Foscari in I Due Foscari (Verdi). Miller in Luisa Miller (Verdi). Seid in Corsaro (Verdi). Arturo in Malvina di Scozia (Pacini). Giasone in Medea (Mercadante).

1827 Birth of Hungarian baritone Johann Nepomuk BECK in Budapest. d-9 APR 1904. Debut as Speaker in Zauberflote 1851. Created Solomon in Queen of Sheba (Goldmark).

1837 Death of Italian composer Nicola Antonio Zingarelli in Torre del Greco. b-Naples, 4 APR 1752.

1842 Death of French tenor Jean Elleviou. b-Paris, 14 JUN 1769. Debut in Le Deserteur (Monsigny) 1790. Created Isauun in Calife de Bagdad (Boieldieu). Jean in Jean de Paris (Boieldieu). Joseph in Joseph (Mehul).

1842 FP of Thomas' "Guerillero" Paris.

1842 Birth of composer Johann Nepomuk Fuchs

1846 Birth of composer Federico Chueca

1848 Birth of composer Adalbert von Goldschmidt

1853 Birth of German conductor and composer Richard HENNEBERG in Berlin. d-Malmö, 19 OCT 1925. Opera, "Drottningens Vallfart" Stockholm (1882).

1854 Birth of Italian baritone Antonio SMAREGLIA in Pola, Istria. d-Grado, nr Trieste, 15 APR 1929. Opera, "Preziosa" (Milan, 1879); "Bianca da Cervia" (Milan, 1882); "Re Naka" (Venice, 1887); "Il Vassallo di Szigeth" Vienna, 1889); "Cornelio Schutt" (Prague, 1895); "La Falena" (Venice, 1897); "Oceana" (Milan, 1903); "L'bosso" (Milan, 1914).

1860 Birth of Italian composer Pietro FLORIDA in Modica, Sicily. d-NYC, 16 AUG 1932. Opera, "Maruzza" (Venice, 1894); "La colonia libera" (Rome, 1899); "Paoletta" (Cincinnati, 1910); "The Scarlet Letter" (1910); and "Malia" (1932); both not produced.

1865 Birth of composer Felicjan Szopski

1867 Birth of English-American composer T. Tertius NOBLE.

1869 (GC, JC=23 APR) Birth of German composer and conductor Hans PFITZNER. Opera, "Der arme Heinrich" Mainz, 1895); "Die Rose vom Liegesgarten" (Elberfeld, 1901); "Das Christelflein" Mucih, 1906); "Palestrina" (Munich, 1917); "Das Herz" (Munich, 1931).

1871 Birth of Italian composer and music writer Alberto CAMETTI.

1878 Birth of Italian soprano Giuseppina FINZI-MAGRINI in Turin. d-30 NOV 1944. Debut 1900. Pupil was Anna Maria Guglielmetti.

1883 Birth of composer Leopold Samuel

1883 Birth of composer Petar Konjovic

1885 Birth of English baritone Arthur CRANMER in Birmingham. d-20 AUG 1954. Pupil was David Galliver.

1886 Birth of German bass-baritone Leo SCHUTZENDORF in Cologne. d-18 DEC 1931. Debut 1908. Teacher was D'Arnals. Created Wozzeck in Wozzeck (Berg).

1886 Birth of composer Manuel Borguno

1890 Death of Italian tenor Emilio Naudin. b-Parma 23 OCT 1823. Debut in Saffo (Pacini) 1843. Teacher was Giacomo Panizza. Created Vasco di Gama in Africaine (Meyerbeer).

1891 Opening of Carnegie Hall in NYC, with Tchikovsky as guest conductor of his Marche Solennelle, 'Coronation March'. Also on program was Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3 conducted by Walter Damrosch.

1893 Birth of Russian-French composer Ivan VYSHNEGRADSKY, aka Wyschnegradsky, quarter-tone exponent.

1900 Birth of German conductor Hans SCHMIDT-ISSERSTEDT in Berlin. d-Hamberg, 28 MAY 1973. Director of the Deutsches Opernhaus, 1942-45, Berlin.

1905 Birth of Italian soprano Maria CANIGLIA in Naples. d-Rome, 15 AUG 1979. Studied at the Conservatorio di Musica San Pietro a Majella, Naples. Début, Turin [Chrysothemis] Elektra (1930). La Scala [Maria] in Pizzetti's Lo Straniero, (1943) and again from (1948-51). Created [Manuela] Montemezzi's La notte di Zoraima (1931). Manuela in Notte di Zoraima (Montemezzi). Sang at the Salzburg Festival (1935); CG (1937-39). Recorded several operas with tenor Beniamino Gigli, including Un ballo in maschera (1943). Sang in several world premières, Alfano's Cirano di Bergerac (1936); Respighi's Lucrezia (1937). In Italy at the outbreak of WW II. m-composer Pino Donati (com/opera) (1907-1975) It. Retired after Tosca at the Cairo Opera (1959). MET Opera Début 21 NOV 1938, [Desdemona] Otello, 1 season (1938-39) 14 perf. 5 roles. Debut as Chrysothemis in Elektra (Strauss). Teacher was Agostino Roche. Pupils were Marina Krilovici, Irma Capecc.

1907 Birth of composer Yoritsune Matsudaira

1908 Birth of German bass-baritone Kurt BöHME in Dresden. d-Munich, 20 DEC 1989. MET Opera Début 11 NOV 1954, [Pogner] Die Meistersinger, 2 seasons (1954-55, 56-57) 23 perf., 6 roles. Debut as Caspar in Freischutz 1929. Teachers were Walther Soomer, Inge Heincke. Created Dominik in Arabella (Strauss). Vanuzzi in Schweigsame Frau (Strauss). Farfallo in Schweigsame Frau (Strauss). Mendicant Monk in Sim Tjong (Yun Isang). Carnot in Play of Love & Death (Cikker). Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (Sutermeister). Prospero in Zauberinsel (Sutermeister). Odysseus in Penelope (Liebermann). Aleel in Irische Legend (Egk). Sang in premiere of Hochzeit des Jobs (Haas).

1909 Birth of Czech tenor Antonin VOTAVA in Prague. Sang in FP of Kraluv Mincmistr (Vostrak).

1909 FP of Massenet's "Bacchus" Paris.

1910 Birth of Italian contralto Giulietta SIMIONATO.

1913 Birth of Polish violinist and composer Grazyna BACEWICZ in Lodz. d-Warsaw, 17 JAN 1969.

1916 Birth of composer Mutal' Burkhanov

1917 Last public performance as pianist of Claude Debussy. FP of Debussy's Violin Sonata with violinist Gaston Poulet, Debussy at the piano in Paris.

1918 Birth of pianist Erbie Bowser

1924 Birth of Theo Olof, German violinist

1924 FP of Alexander Tansman´s Dance of the Sorcerer in Brussel´s Belgium.

1926 FP of A. Copland's Two Pieces Nocturne and Ukelele Serenade, violinist Samuel Dushkin with the Copland at the piano in Paris.

1927 Birth of American pianist and writer Charles ROSEN. d-9 DEC 2012.

1927 FP of Alfano's "Madonna Imperia" Turin.

1928 Birth of German bass Gunte HAMMER in Berlin. Teacher was Alfred Fechner.

1928 Birth of Swedish baritone Carrie NILSSON in Tranas. Teacher was Ragnar Hulten.

1930 FP of D. Milhaud's opera Christophe Colomb 'Christopher Columbus' at the Berlin State Opera. Delia Reinhardt (s) (1892-1974) Ger.

1932 Birth of Russian conductor Mark ERMLER. d-Seoul, 14 APR 2002. Grammaphone obit.

1932 Birth of composer Aurel Stroe

1933 Birth of Japanese composer Rieko ARIMA in Tokyo.

1934 Birth of Polish soprano Maria BJESCHU. Début [Tosca] Tosca.

1936 Death of soprano Eva Van Der Osten. b-Heligoland, 19 AUG 1881. Debut Urbain in Huguenots (Meyerbeer) 1902. Teachers were August Iffert, Sohle. Created Octavian in Rosenkavalier (Strauss).

1937 Birth of German baritone Carl-Heinz STRYCZEK in Nickelsdorf. Début [Germont] Traviata. Teacher was Peter Russ.

1937 FP of Casella's "Il deserto tentato" mystery in 1 act, in Florence.

1941 FP of Benjamin Britten's first opera Paul Bunyan with text by Auden, at Columbia University, NYC.

CD-Britten: Paul Bunyan / Coleman-Wright

1945 FP of S. Barber's I Hear an Army, Monks and Raisins, Nocturne, Star On This Shing Night, on CBS radio network. Mezzo Jennie Tourel and the CBS Symphony, Barber conducting.

1946 FP of Douglas Moore's Symphony in A, in Paris.

1952 Birth of American composer Bunita MARCUS.

1952 FP of Gaburo's "The Snow Queen" Lake Charles, LA.

1955 Death of Austrian composer Rudolf Sieczynski in Vienna. Composed Wien, du Stadt. b-Vienna, 1879.

1957 Birth of American composer Hayes BIGGS.

1960 FP of Foss' "Introduction and Goodbyes" NYC.

1963 Death of German-American composer Heinrich Gebhard in North Arlington, NJ. b-Soberheim, 25 JUL 1878. Taught piano in Boston.

1966 Death of Italian soprano Lella Gaio. b-Lombardi, 1895. Debut as Aida 1930. Teachers were Emma Molajoli, Ersilde Cervi Caroli.

1971 Death of Polish soprano Maria Moscisca. b-1883. Debut 1905. Teacher was Valerie Wysocki.

1973 FP of Susa's "Transformations" Cedar Village Theater, Minneapolis, MN. Barbara Brandt (s); Catherine Malfitano (s); Janis Hardy (m/s); Vern Sutton (t); Yale Marshall (t); James Rogness (b); Barry Busse (bs); and William Dansby (bs).

1977 FP of George Crumb's oratorio Star Child by the New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez conducting.

1982 FP of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Symphony No. 1. American Composers Orchestra, Gunther Schuller conducting at Alice Tully Hall in NYC. Won the Pulitzer Prize [1983].

1987 FP of John Williams' A Hymn to New England. Boston Pops conducted by Williams.

1990 FP of Henze's "Das verratene Meer" Berlin.

1991 FP of Joan Tower's Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 3 Dedicated to Frances Richard of ASCAP. Members of the Empire Brass and the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting at Carnegie Hall, NYC.

1998 Death of Dutch composer Ton Bruynèl in Mailly, France. b-Utrecht, 26 JAN 1934.

2000 FP of Christopher Rouse's Rapture for orchestra, by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Mariss Jansons conducting.

2001 FP of Christopher Rouse's Rapturedux cello ensemble, by the Royal Northern College of Music Cellists in Manchester, England.