A Puccini premiere panned

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) excerpts, from Madama Butterfly Anna Moffo, sop.; Rome Opera; Erich Leinsdorf, cond. RCA 60202

On This Day

Births

• 1653 - Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli, in Fusignano (near Imola);

• 1820 - Belgian composer Henri Vieuxtemps, in Verviers;

• 1862 - English composer Edward German (Jones) in Whitechurch;

• 1887 - Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja, in Oulu (Uleaborg);

• 1920 - American composer Paul Fetler, in Philadelphia;

• 1926 - Austrian composer Friedrich Cerha, in Vienna;

• 1926 - American composer Lee Hoiby, in Madison, Wis.;

Deaths

• 1732 - French composer and organist Louis Marchand, age 63, in Paris;

• 1841 - Italian composer and guitarist Ferdinando Carulli, age 70, in Paris;

• 1924 - Finnish composer Oskar Merikanto, age 55, in Hausjärvi-Oiti;

• 1970 - American composer and conductor Alfred Newman, age 69, in Los Angeles;

• 1982 - American Jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk, age 64, in Englewood, N.J.;

Premieres

• 1728 - Handel: opera “Siroe, re di Persia” (Cyrus, King of Persia), in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Feb. 28); This was the first Handel opera with a libretto by Metastasio;

• 1792 - Haydn: Symphony No. 93, conducted by the composer, at the Hanover-Square Concert Rooms in London;

• 1855 - Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in Eb, in Weimar, with the composer as soloist and Hector Berlioz conducting;

• 1859 - Verdi: opera "Un Ballo in Maschera" (A Masked Ball), in Rome at the Teatro Apollo;

• 1889 - Franck: Symphony in d, in Paris;

• 1901 - Mahler: oratorio "Das Klagende Lied" (Song of Lamentation), in Vienna, with composer conducting;

• 1904 - Puccini: opera “Madama Butterfly,”in Milan at the Teatro alla Scala;

• 1914 - Ernst von Dohnányi: "Variations on a Nursery Song" for piano and orchestra, in Berlin, with the composer as soloist;

• 1927 - Deems Taylor: opera "The King's Henchmen," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York;

• 1943 - Copland: "Music for Movies," at a Town Hall Forum concert in New York City;

• 1947 - Copland: "Danzón Cubano" (orchestral version), by the Baltimore Symphony;

• 1948 - David Diamond: Violin Sonata No. 1, at Carnegie Hall in New York, by Joseph Szigeti (violin) and Josef Lhevinne (piano);

• 1952 - Henze: opera "Boulevard Solitude," in Hanover at the Landestheater;

• 1961 - Elie Siegmeister: Flute Concerto, in Oklahoma City;

• 1977 - Elliott Carter: "A Symphony of Three Orchestra," by the New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez conducting;

• 1982 - George Perle: "Ballade" for piano, at Alice Tully Hall in New York, by Richard Goode.