May 28 — On This Day in Opera

This page lists notable events in opera history that happened on May 28, including world premieres, composer births, deaths, and important milestones.

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1692

Birth of Geminiano Giacomelli, Italian composer known for his operas, including 'Cesare in Egitto' (1735).

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1768

Death of Jean-Louis Cuchot d'Herbain (Chevalier d'Herbain), French baroque composer known for his operas and ballets.

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1787

Death of Leopold Mozart, German composer, violinist, and father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

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1797

Death of Anton Raaff, German tenor who created the title role in Mozart's 'Idomeneo'.

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1798

Birth of Josef Dessauer, Bohemian composer known for his operatic and vocal works.

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1836

Death of Anton Reicha, Czech-born composer and music theorist known for his contributions to wind quintet literature.

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1883

Riccardo Zandonai, composer of operas including "Francesca da Rimini", "Conchita", and "Giulietta e Romeo", was born.

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1904

Puccini's revised version of "Madama Butterfly" was staged in Brescia, where it became a major success after the failed La Scala premiere.

Madama Butterfly

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1918

Irma Kolassi, Greek-French mezzo-soprano and vocal coach associated with opera and song repertoire, was born.

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1925

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, German baritone active in opera and especially renowned for Lieder, was born.

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1934

Inauguration of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in England, known for its annual summer opera performances.

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2003

Death of Luciano Berio, Italian composer known for his experimental operas and electronic music.

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