istoryworld
Events relating to opera
16-year-old ballerina Sylvie Guillem joins the Paris Opera Ballet
Rudolf Nureyev begins a successful 6-year period as artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet
Olivier Messiaen's opera St Francis of Assisi has its premiere in Paris
Luciano Berio's opera Un re in ascolto has its premiere in Salzburg
The opera Akhnaten, by US composer Philip Glass, has its first performance in Stuttgart
Harrison Birtwistle's second opera, The Mask of Orpheus, brings him an international reputation
Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki's opera The Black Mask is premiered in Salzburg
John Adams' opera Nixon in China is performed in Houston
English composer Mark-Anthony Turnage's first opera, Greek, is premiered in Munich
M. Butterfly, by US author and composer David Henry Hwang, uses Puccini's opera as its inspiration
The UN imposes sanctions because of Libya's refusal to cooperate in the Lockerbie air disaster enquiry
Chen Kaige directs Farewell My Concubine, depicting the devastating effect of the Cultural Revolution on some performers of Peking opera
The first module is launched of the International Space Station, a cooperative venture by five space agencies (USA, Russia, Japan, Canada, Europe)
In spite of a massive military operation, the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden escapes US pursuit in Afghanistan
Jerry Springer: The Opera, by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, is profane and outrageous and extremely successful
Latin Americans in the USA stage the Great American Boycott, a day of non-cooperation to demand immigration reform
The Metropolitan Opera in New York begins broadcasting live performances, which within a few years are being shown on hundreds of movie screens all over the world.
The first community opera, Free Will, composed online by a group of volunteers, has its premiere in the Finnish medieval castle of Olavinlinna
