Thousands of anniversaries. In 2020, classical music and opera offer many opportunities for music lovers to commemorate composers, conductors, performers and operatic artists, to celebrate the first performances of essential works or the opening of emblematic concert halls. From January to December, there are 365 opportunities to revisit a repertoire, a recording or simply to explore 10 centuries of classical music. Something to satisfy all the inquiring minds.
December 24: Essential anniversaries
Throughout 10 centuries of history, there are thousands of anniversaries. For December 24, there are no less than 93 dates to remember: births, deaths, premieres, inaugurations... Among them: Julius Korngold (160th anniversary, Birth), Oskar Nedbal (90th anniversary, Death), Libby Larsen (70th anniversary, Birth), Alec Wilder (40th anniversary, Death), Eino Tamberg (10th anniversary, Death)... to name only some of the artists, composers or performers, known or less known throughout the world.
All important anniversaries to commemorate a December 24
2015
Sharofiddin Sajfiddinov, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Soviet composer (1929-2015)
Death (age 86)
2012
Richard Rodney Bennett, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, English composer and pianist
Death (age 76)
Christer Solén, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer
Death (age 73)
2011
Monte Amundsen, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American actress, singer and soprano
Death (age 81)
2010
Eino Tamberg, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Estonian composer
Death (age 80)
Frances Ginsberg, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American opera soprano
Death (age 55)
2002
Luciano Chailly, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian composer
Death (age 82)
1996
Tamara Alioșina-Alexandrova, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Soviet singer, opera singer and music educator (1928-1996)
Death (age 68)
1995
Jan Schneeweis, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech composer
Death (age 91)
1992
Karen-Marie Flagstad, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Norwegian singer (1904-1992)
Death (age 88)
1987
Sara Scuderi, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, singer
Death (age 81)
1983
Isobel Baillie, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Scottish opera singer
Death (age 88)
1981
René Auguste Ernest Barbier, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Belgian composer
Death (age 91)
Alma Sadé, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer
Birth (39th anniversary)
1980
Alec Wilder, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American composer, lyricist
Death (age 73)
Paul Schwarz, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian opera singer
Death (age 93)
1979
Piroska Tutsek, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Hungarian singer
Death (age 74)
1976
María José Siri, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Uruguayan soprano
Birth (44th anniversary)
1975
Bernard Herrmann, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American composer (1911-1975)
Death (age 64)
Stanislav Mach, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech violinist, music educator, composer, choirmaster and organist
Death (age 69)
1971
Pere Mercader i Terrades, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish composer (1916-1971)
Death (age 55)
1967
Karl Ristenpart, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German conductor
Death (age 67)
1966
Gaspar Cassadó, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish cellist and composer
Death (age 69)
1965
Mariss Vetra, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Latvian opera singer, stage director, educator, and writer
Death (age 64)
1961
Guy de Lioncourt, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, French composer
Death (age 76)
Asta Krikščiūnaitė, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Lithuanian opera singer
Birth (59th anniversary)
1957
Richard Cowan, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American opera singer
Birth
Zoya Lody, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer, music pedagogue
Death (age 71)
1955
Janusz Kohut, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, composer
Birth (65th anniversary)
1954
Karla Burns, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, singer
Birth (66th anniversary)
Pino De Vittorio, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian actor
Birth (66th anniversary)
1953
Hans-Jürgen von Bose, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German composer
Birth (67th anniversary)
Naoki Tsurusaki, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Japanese composer and cellist
Birth (67th anniversary)
1950
Libby Larsen, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American composer and educator
Birth (70th anniversary)
1947
Nadine Asher, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer, voice teacher
Birth (73th anniversary)
1945
Adelina Stehle, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian singer
Death (age 84)
Helmut Deutsch, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian classical pianist
Birth (75th anniversary)
Jens Elias Berntsen, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, singer, opera singer, actor, conductor, teacher
Death (age 78)
Luca Lombardi, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian composer
Birth (75th anniversary)
1943
Libuše Márová, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech movie and television actress, opera singer, music educator and university educator
Birth (77th anniversary)
Karsten Küsters, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German opera singer
Birth (77th anniversary)
1942
Friedrich Klose, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera composer
Death (age 80)
Josef von Manowarda, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian singer and opera singer
Death (age 52)
1941
Siegfried Alkan, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German composer
Death (age 83)
1940
Rudolf Piskáček, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech composer
Death (age 56)
1938
Mesías Maiguashca, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Ecuadorian composer
Birth (82th anniversary)
Denis Alexandrowitsch Koroljow, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Russian singer and opera singer
Birth (82th anniversary)
1935
Alban Berg, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian composer
Death (age 50)
1931
Mauricio Kagel, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Argentine-German composer
Birth
1930
Oskar Nedbal, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech conductor, composer, and violist (1874–1940)
Death (age 56)
1929
Lello Di Domenico, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian opera singer
Birth
1928
Nicolae Leonard, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Romanian opera tenor
Death (age 42)
1927
1922
Ernő Kenéz, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera and operetta singer, pharmacist
Birth
1921
Gerard Victory, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Irish composer
Birth
1915
Bruno Aderhold, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer
Birth
Jean Vallerand, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Canadian composer
Birth
1910
Hazel Hayes, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American film actress (1910-1974)
Birth
1908
François-Auguste Gevaert, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Belgian composer
Death (age 80)
1906
Franz Waxman, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German film composer (1906-1967)
Birth
1898
Adam Raczkowski, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, singer, opera singer, actor
Birth
Elena Sanz, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish opera singer
Death (age 54)
Elena de Sanz, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish opera singer
Death (age 54)
1894
Henriette Strindberg, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Norwegian opera singer
Birth
1890
Emilio Cianchi, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian composer
Death (age 57)
1887
Lucrezia Bori, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish opera singer
Birth
1884
Oluf Ring, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Danish composer
Birth
1879
Nikolai Medtner, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, British composer and pianist
Birth
Anna Bochkoltz, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German opera singer, composer, voice teacher (1815-1879)
Death (age 64)
1878
Anaïs Perrière-Pilte, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, composer
Death (age 42)
1875
Emanuel Maršík, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Czech composer
Birth
1874
Margarit Babayan, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, pianist, singer
Birth
Adamo Didur, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Polish singer
Birth
1870
Emanuela Frank, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer
Birth
150th anniversary (2020)
1863
Enrique Fernández Arbós, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish musician
Birth
1862
Joseph Funk, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, American music teacher, publisher, and composer
Death (age 84)
Meliton Balanchivadze, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Georgian musician
Birth
1860
Julius Korngold, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian music critic
Birth
1859
Roman Statkowski, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Polish composer
Birth
1857
Emanuel Kroupa, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer, singer
Birth
1853
Amédée de Beauplan, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, French playwright, composer and painter
Death (age 63)
1846
Sir George Power, 7th Baronet, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, singer and actor
Birth
1845
Giovanni Tagliapietra, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, american singer
Birth
1839
Ilka Markovits, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Hungarian singer
Birth
1837
Cosima Wagner, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, daughter of the Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt
Birth
1829
José Rogel Soriano, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Spanish composer (1829-1901)
Birth
1824
Ján Egry, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, composer, music pedagogue, conductor
Birth
Peter Cornelius, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, German composer
Birth
1789
Jean-Paul Spesoller de Latour, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, opera singer
Death (age 65)
1773
Joseph Wölfl, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Austrian composer and pianist
Birth
1679
Domenico Sarro, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, Italian composer
Birth
1453
John Dunstaple, Anniversaries (December 24), Classical music history, British composer
Death (age 63)