Music History on May 18

1887 Emmanuel Chabrier's opera "Le roi malgré lui" (King, in spite of himself) premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris; after 3 performances the theatre burns down

Esclarmonde

1889 Jules Massenet's opera "Esclarmonde" premieres in Paris

1897 Irish Music Festival 1st held in Dublin

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

1897 Paul Dukas' symphonic scherzo "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" (used in Disney's Fantasia film) premieres, based on poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Poet and Philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1948 Jerome Moross and John Latouche'a musical "Ballet Ballads" opens at Music Box Theater, NYC; for 62 performances
1950 "Liar" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 12 performances
1959 "Castin' My Spell" by The Johnny Otis Show hits #52
1959 "Judy" by David Seville hits #86
1959 "Russian Band Stand" by Spencer & Spencer hits #91
1961 "Donnybrook!" opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 68 performances
1963 "Beast in Me" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 4 performances
1963 "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul hits #1

Frost Interviews McCartney

1964 David Frost interviews Paul McCartney on BBC-TV

1969 "Canterbury Tales" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 122 performances
1970 Beatles' last released LP, "Let It Be", released in US
1972 American pop rock band Looking Glass release their single "Brandy"

#1 in the Charts

1974 Novelty song "The Streak" by Ray Stevens hits #1

Music History

1985 Murray Head's "One Night In Bangkok" single (written by Tim Rice, and Abba's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) hits #3 in US

Pop Composer and Musician Benny Andersson

1986 "Singin' in the Rain" closes at Gershwin Theater NYC after 367 performances
1996 41st Eurovision Song Contest: Eimear Quinn for Ireland wins singing "The Voice" in Oslo
1997 "King David" opens at New Amsterdam Theater NYC
1999 "Millennium" 3rd studio album by the Backstreet Boys is released - one of the best-selling albums of all time, over 30 million copies sold