Surrey Ring: ⁦Grange Park Opera⁩ has announced it will stage Wagner’s Ring between 2026 and 2029, directed by Charles Edwards, with some performances conducted by Anthony Negus and with casts including James Rutherford as Wotan and Rachel Nicholls as Brünnhilde.

A very happy 72nd birthday to the director Tim Albery!

Wishing Waltraud Isoldé Elchlepp - the operatic mezzo also known (as Dominique) as a protest singer - a very happy 82nd birthday!

The first Scarpia: Eugenio Giraldoni, who sang in the premiere of Tosca, was born #OTD in 1871. It was a family tradition - his father Leone Giraldoni was the lead baritone in the premieres of Boccanegra and Ballo, and his mother Carolina Ferni created Catalani’s Loreley.

Jean Baptiste Chollet, the tenor who created the title roles in Auber’s Fra Diavolo, Hérold’s Zampa and Adam’s Le Postillon de Lonjumeau, and sang in many other premieres, was born in Paris #OTD in 1798.

The British conductor Robin Davis has been appointed as the next Generalmusikdirektor in Bielefeld.

Wishing ⁦⁦Anna Patalong⁩ – soprano and CEO of ⁦British Youth Opera⁩ – a very happy 40th birthday!

A very happy 93rd birthday to the Swiss tenor Éric Tappy!

Still keeping time … Ravel's L'Heure espagnole was premiered at the ⁦Opéra-Comique⁩ in Paris #OTD in 1911.

The Swedish contralto Kerstin Thorborg, especially admired for her Wagnerian roles, was born #OTD in 1896.

Un bel dì: Rosina Storchio, the first Madama Butterfly and also the creator of roles in operas by Giordano, Leoncavallo and Mascagni, was born in Venice #OTD in 1876.

O luce di quest'anima … Donizetti’s Linda di Chamounix was premiered in Vienna #OTD in 1842.

It’s 113 years today since the death in Vienna of one of the great opera conductors (also the composer of some symphonies and songs…), Gustav Mahler.

“You made your debut when Rossini and Bellini were at their height of their glory; you saw the art of Richard Wagner rise - and now the rise of Richard Strauss’s art.” Saint-Saëns to Pauline Viardot - the celebrated mezzo and composer - who died #OTD in 1910.

The composer of some unforgettable earworms, with an output including ten operas, Henri Sauguet was born in Bordeaux #OTD in 1901.

“One can only applaud Chevalier Gluck for having discovered the secret of the Ancients … Some of the audience were seen to weep from beginning to end.” Gluck's penultimate opera, Iphigénie en Tauride was premiered in Paris #OTD in 1779.

In what would be the last operatic premiere of Martinů‘s lifetime - though the exiled composer was absent - Mirandolina was first performed at Prague's National Theatre 65 years ago today, with Maria Tauberová in the title role.

Happy Diva Day! The dramatic sopranos Zinka Milanov and Birgit Nilsson were both born on May 17, in 1906 and 1918 respectively.

Viva il vino spumeggiante! Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana was premiered in Rome ⁦Opera di Roma⁩ #OTD in 1890.

The 2024 Birgit Nilsson Stipendium has been awarded to the Swedish soprano Matilda Sterby.