July 23 — On This Day in Opera

French composer Christophe Willibald Gluck, a pioneer of eighteenth-century opera reform and composer of "Orfeo ed Euridice", was born in Erasbach, Bavaria.

Birth of Swedish composer Franz Adolf Berwald, whose operas include "Sångfåglarne" and "Estrella di Soria".

First London performance of Weber’s opera "Der Freischütz", considered a milestone that ushered in Romantic opera in England.

Birth of Norwegian soprano Borghild Bryhn-Langaard (also Borghild Brunelli), a leading voice at the Vienna Imperial Opera.

Italian composer Francesco Cilea, best known for the operas "Adriana Lecouvreur" and "L'arlesiana", was born in Palmi, Calabria.

German soprano Frida Leider, one of the twentieth century's greatest Wagnerian singers, was born in Berlin.

Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano, celebrated for performances in "La bohème", "Rigoletto", "Tosca", and many other Italian operas, was born in Motta Sant'Anastasia, Sicily.

Birth of American director and artistic leader Frank Pandolfi, founder of Connecticut Opera Association.

The Santa Fe Opera presented the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri's "Black Widow".

Italian soprano Fedora Barbieri, celebrated for her Verdi and Rossini mezzo-soprano roles, died in Florence.