Thousands of anniversaries. In 2021, 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.
May 8: Essential anniversaries
Throughout 10 centuries of history, there are thousands of anniversaries. For May 8, there are no less than 77 dates to remember: births, deaths, premieres, inaugurations... Among them: Tola Mankiewiczówna (120th anniversary, Birth), Heather Harper (90th anniversary, Birth), Lepo Sumera (70th anniversary, Birth), Hugo Alfvén (60th anniversary, Death), Luigi Nono (30th 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 May 8
Irina Elcheva, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, composer
Death (age 86)
Roman Totenberg, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Polish-American musician
Death (age 101)
Sándor Bárdi, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, opera singer
Death (age 65)
Julian Patrick, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American opera singer
Death (age 81)
Milena Di Giuseppantonio, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian opera singer
Death (age 71)
Jose Berghmans, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, French composer
Death (age 70)
Jean Langlais, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser
Death (age 84)
Rudolf Serkin, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Concert Pianist
Death (age 88)
Luigi Nono, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian composer
Death (age 66)
Lise de la Salle, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, French classical pianist
Birth (32th anniversary)
Pavlo Karmaliuk, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Ukrainian singer and opera singer
Death (age 78)
Michael Fabiano, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American opera singer
Birth (36th anniversary)
Bohumír Halouzka, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Czech composer, choirmaster and organist
Death (age 90)
Tati Helene, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Brazilian opera singer
Birth (38th anniversary)
Anthony Roth Costanzo, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American countertenor, actor, and producer
Birth (38th anniversary)
Anna Ono, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Japanese violinist
Death (age 89)
Teodora Gheorghiu, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Romanian opera singer
Birth (42th anniversary)
Gal James, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Israeli operatic soprano
Birth (43th anniversary)
Valentino Bucchi, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian composer
Death (age 59)
Barbara Karaśkiewicz, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, pianist
Birth (45th anniversary)
Brian Tyler, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American composer, producer, conductor, and film producer
Birth (48th anniversary)
Holger Marks, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German singer and opera singer
Birth (48th anniversary)
Barbara Hannigan, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Canadian operatic soprano
Birth (49th anniversary)
49th anniversary (2021)
Adolf Harbich, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German singer and opera singer
Death (age 83)
Bruno Landi, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian opera singer
Death (age 68)
Gitta Halász, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, (1889--1968) opera singer
Death (age 78)
Thierry Escaich, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, composer
Birth (55th anniversary)
Robert Holzer, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Austrian singer and opera singer
Birth (57th anniversary)
Helena Blagne, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Slovenian singer
Birth (57th anniversary)
Ignas Misiūra, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Lithuanian opera singer
Birth (57th anniversary)
Hugo Alfvén, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Swedish composer, conductor, violinist, and painter (1872-1960)
Death (age 88)
Denys Bouliane, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Canadian composer
Birth (65th anniversary)
Aline Sanden, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German singer and opera singer
Death (age 75)
Marcel Tournier, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, French harpist, composer, and pedagogue
Death (age 72)
Lepo Sumera, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Estonian composer
Birth
Felicity Lott, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, English Soprano
Birth (73th anniversary)
Vanda Wistinghausen-Chuławska, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, music pedagogue, opera singer
Death (age 68)
Ethel Smyth, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, English composer
Death (age 86)
David Geary, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Canadian singer and director, active in Switzerland
Birth (78th anniversary)
Heinrich Zöllner, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German composer and conductor
Death (age 86)
Kazimierz Worch, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, opera singer
Death (age 43)
Albert Markov, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Russian-American violinist
Birth (87th anniversary)
Carlo Cossutta, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian opera singer
Birth
Charles Wilson, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Canadian composer, born 1931
Birth (89th anniversary)
Bertha Lewis, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, British opera singer and actress
Death (age 43)
Heather Harper, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, British soprano
Birth
William Sydeman, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American composer
Birth (92th anniversary)
Narcisa Donátová, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, composer
Birth
Antonia Rosado Casas, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, music pedagogue, opera singer
Birth
Soltan Hajibeyov, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Azerbaijani composer
Birth
Maria von Ilosvay, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Hungarian contralto
Birth
Thure Bahne, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Finnish actor
Birth
Martha Musial, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German opera singer
Birth
Konstantin Ivanov, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Soviet conductor
Birth
Inglis Gundry, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, British writer and musician
Birth
Jean Morère, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, French rugby union player
Birth
Vladimir Sofronitsky, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Soviet pianist
Birth
Mihály Székely, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Hungarian singer
Birth
Tola Mankiewiczówna, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Polish singer and actress
Birth
Einar Nørby, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Danish opera singer
Birth
Clytie Hine, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Australian singer
Birth
Pavel Křížkovský, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Czech music educator, composer, pianist, organist and roman catholic priest
Death (age 65)
Emilie da Fonseca, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Norwegian stage actress
Death (age 80)
Carl Streitmann, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Austrian actor and opera singer
Birth
Heinrich Berté, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Austrian composer
Birth
Oscar Hammerstein I, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German-born businessman, theater and opera impresario, and composer in New York City
Birth
Giacomo Cordella, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian composer
Death (age 60)
Ferdinand Groß, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, opera singer
Birth
Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, American musician and composer
Birth
Mauro Giuliani, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Italian guitarist, cellist, singer, and composer
Death (age 47)
Johann Friedrich Kittl, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Czech composer
Birth
Lorenz Christoph Mizler, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, German music historian and polymath
Death (age 66)
Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Czech harpist and composer
Birth
Henri Dumont, Anniversaries (May 8), Classical music history, Belgian composer
Death (age 74)