Musicals in History

Events in Music

Events 1 - 100 of 2,356

Vivaldi's First Opera

1713-05-17 Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi's first opera "Ottone in villa" opens at Teatro delle Grazie in Vicenza, Republic of Venice (now Italy)

  • 1777-08-04 Retired British cavalry officer Philip Astley establishes his riding school with performances in London, precursor of the circus
  • 1786-11-07 The oldest musical organization in the United States is founded in Boston, Massachusetts as the Stoughton Musical Society
  • 1789-03-02 Pennsylvania ends prohibition of theatrical performances

London Assurance

1841-03-04 Dion Boucicault's stage comedy "London Assurance" opens at Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London

  • 1855-10-09 Joshua Stoddard of Worcester, Massachusetts, patents first calliope (steam powered musical instrument)
  • 1857-12-08 Dion Boucicault's stage drama "The Poor of New York" opens at Wallack's Lyceum Theatre, NYC
  • 1859-12-05 Dion Boucicault's stage melodrama "The Octaroon" opens at The Winter Garden Theatre, NYC
  • 1860-01-09 Dion Boucicault's stage drama "Jeanie Deans" opens at Laura Keene's Theatre, NYC
  • 1874-11-14 Dion Boucicault's stage drama "The Shaughraun" opens at Wallack's Theatre, NYC
  • 1883-11-05 Edward Harrigan's musical farce "Cordelia's Aspirations" premieres at Theatre Comique, NYC
  • 1884-09-24 Dixey, Rice & Gill's musical "Adonis" premieres in NYC

Night on Bald Mountain

1886-10-15 Modest Mussorgsky's musical fantasy "Night on Bald Mountain" premieres at Kononov Hall, in St. Petersburg, Russia

  • 1887-05-18 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
  • 1892-12-26 Alberto Franchetti's opera "Cristoforo Colombo" opens at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy
  • 1894-05-12 Ludwig Englander's musical "Passing Show" premieres in NYC
  • 1896-04-25 Sidney Jones & Harry Greenbacks musical "The Geisha" premieres at Daly's Theatre, London; runs for 760 performances
  • 1897-08-03 John McNally's musical "Good Mr Best" premieres in NYC
  • 1897-09-18 Gustave Kecker and Hugh Martin's musical "Belle of New York City" premieres in NYC
  • 1898-09-26 Victor Herbert and Harry Smith's operetta "The Fortune Teller" premieres at Wallack's Theater, New York City

Finlandia

1900-07-02 Jean Sibelius' musical tone poem "Finlandia" premieres in Helsinki

The Governor's Son

1901-02-25 George M. Cohan's 1st Broadway musical "The Governor's Son"opens at the Savoy Theatre, NYC; runs for 32 performances

Way of the World

1901-11-04 Clyde Fitch's stage play "Way of the World" opens at the Savoy Theatre, NYC; runs for 48 performances

  • 1902-06-16 "The Wizard of Oz" musical first opens in Chicago, Illinois

In Dahomey

1903-02-18 "In Dahomey" the first African American musical to perform on Broadway opens at the New York Theater, starring George Walker and Bert Williams with music by Will Marion Cook

  • 1903-11-16 V Herbert & H Smith's musical "Babette" premieres in NYC
  • 1904-02-25 J M Synge's "Riders to the Sea" opens at Irish National Theater Society
  • 1904-11-07 George M. Cohan's 1st full-length musical "Little Johnny Jones", featuring the songs "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Give My Regards To Broadway", opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 52 performances be before going on tour
  • 1905-01-14 Raymond Hubbell, Sam Shubert & Robert Smith's musical "Fontana" opens at the Lyric Theatre, NYC; runs 298 for performances
  • 1905-12-25 V Herbert/H Blossoms musical "Mlle Modiste" premieres in NYC
  • 1906-02-12 George M. Cohan's musical "George Washington" premieres in NYC
  • 1906-05-28 Shields and Cobbs' musical "His Honor, The Mayor" premieres in NYC
  • 1906-09-24 Victor Herbert and Henry Blossom's operetta musical "The Red Mill" opens at the Knickerbocker Theater, NYC
  • 1907-03-05 1st radio broadcast of a musical composition aired
  • 1907-12-03 George M. Cohan's musical "Talk of the Town" premieres in NYC
  • 1908-11-14 Oscar Strauss' musical "Der tapfere Soldat" premieres in Vienna
  • 1910-09-19 George M. Cohan's musical "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" premieres in NYC
  • 1911-03-13 Ivan Caryll's musical "The Pink Lady" premieres at the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC; runs for 336 performances
  • 1911-12-07 Leslie J Stuart's musical "Betsy" premieres in NYC
  • 1912-12-12 Rudolf Friml and Otto Harbach's musical "Firefly" premieres in New York City
  • 1913-02-03 Golden and Cawthorne's musical "Sunshine Girl" premieres in New York City
  • 1914-01-13 Emmerich Kelman, y Catherine Chisholm Cushing and E.P. Heath operetta "Sari" opens at the Liberty Theatre, later transferring to the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC; runs for 151 performances
  • 1914-02-02 James Royce Shannon's musical "Shameen Dhu" premieres in NYC

The Girl from Utah

1914-08-24 Paul Rubens and Sidney Green's musical (with additional songs by Jerome Kern and Herbert Reynolds) "The Girl from Utah" premieres at the Knickerbocker Theatre, NYC

  • 1914-11-02 Victor Herbert & Henry Blossom's comic operetta "The Only Girl" opens at 39th Street Theatre, later transferring to the Lyric Theatre, NYC; runs for 240 performances

Watch Your Step

1914-12-08 Irving Berlin's musical "Watch your Step" premieres in NYC

  • 1915-01-17 Jerome Kern and Harry B. Smith's musical "Love o' Mike" opens at the Shubert Theatre (later transferring to the Maxine Elliott and Casino theatres), NYC; runs for 233 performances
  • 1915-09-29 Herbert/Blossoms musical "Princess Pat" premieres in NYC
  • 1915-12-23 Jerome Kern and Schuyler Greene's musical farce "Very Good Eddie" premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 341 performances
  • 1915-12-25 Irving Berlin & Harry B Smith's musical revue "Stop! Look! Listen!" premieres at the Globe Theater, NYC; runs for 105 performances

Robinson Crusoe Jr

1916-02-17 Sigmund Romberg, James Hanley, Harold R. Atteridge and Edgar Smith's musical "Robinson Crusoe Jr", featuring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 139 performances

  • 1916-08-31 Oscar Asche's musical "Chu Chin Chow" premieres in London
  • 1916-11-16 I. Berlin, V. Herbert, H. Blossoms musical premieres in NYC
  • 1917-01-11 Guy Bolton & PG Wodehouse's musical "Have a Heart" premieres in New York
  • 1917-02-20 Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton & P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Oh, Boy!" opens at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 463 performances
  • 1917-12-25 Louis Hirsch and Otto Harbach's musical "Going Up" premieres in New York City
  • 1918-02-01 Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton & P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Oh Lady! Lady!!", premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 219 performances
  • 1918-02-14 Harold R. Atteridge & Sigmund Romberg's musical "Sinbad", starring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 164 performances
  • 1918-03-07 H Carroll & J McCarthy's musical "Oh, Look!" premieres in NYC
  • 1918-08-19 Irving Berlin's military musical revue "Yip Yip Yaphank" opens at the Century Theater, later transferring to the Lexington, NYC

Sometime

1918-10-04 Musical "Sometime" with Mae West premieres in NYC

  • 1919-02-03 Herbert and Blossom's musical "Velvet Lady" premieres in New York City
  • 1919-03-05 Louis Hirsch & Harold Atteridge's musical premieres in NYC
  • 1919-10-07 Fritz Kreisler, Victor Jacobi, and William LeBaron's operetta "Apple Blossoms" opens at the Globe Theatre, NYC; runs for 256 performances
  • 1919-10-23 Romberg & Atteridge's musical "Passing Show" premieres in NYC
  • 1919-10-26 B C Hilliam's musical "Buddies" premieres in NYC
  • 1919-11-05 Ir à Steringa Idzerda begins hosting "soirée-musical" on Dutch radio
  • 1919-11-06 1st Dutch radio program: Soirée Musicale with "Turf in you(r) ransel" is broadcast
  • 1919-11-18 H. Tierney & J. McCarthy's musical "Irene" premieres in NYC
  • 1920-04-24 Fritz Kreisler, Victor Jacobi, and William LeBaron's operetta "Apple Blossoms" closes at the Globe Theatre, NYC;, after 256 performances

Music History

1920-07-28 Sigmund Romberg and Alex Gerber's musical "Poor Little Ritz Girl", with additional songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (marking their Broadway debut), opens at the Central Theatre, NYC; runs for 93 performances

Music History

1920-10-16 Sigmund Romberg and Alex Gerber's musical "Poor Little Ritz Girl", with additional songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (marking their Broadway debut), closes at the Central Theatre, NYC, after 93 performances

The Emperor Jones

1920-11-01 Eugene O'Neill's drama "The Emperor Jones" opens at Provincetown Playhouse, NYC; runs for 204 performances

  • 1920-12-21 Jerome Kern and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Sally" premieres in NYC
  • 1921-05-23 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's musical revue "Shuffle Along", the 1st hit Broadway show with an all-Black cast opens at Cort 63rd Street Theatre, NYC; runs for 504 performances [1]
  • 1921-11-07 Ed Wynn's musical revue "The Perfect Fool" premieres in NYC
  • 1921-11-29 Zoel Parenteau and André Picard's musical "Kiki" opens at the Belasco Theatre, NYC; runs for 233 performances
  • 1922-05-23 Comedic play "Abie's Irish Rose" premieres at Fulton Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,327 performances (longest run at the time)
  • 1922-06-01 Zoel Parenteau and André Picard's musical "Kiki" closes at the Belasco Theatre, NYC, after for 233 performances
  • 1922-07-15 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's musical revue "Shuffle Along" the 1st hit Broadway show with an all-Black cast closes at Daly's 63rd Street Theatre, NYC, after 504 performances [1]
  • 1922-08-28 Albert von Tilzer & Neville Fleesons musical "The Gingham Girl" premieres in NYC
  • 1922-09-20 Goodman & Atteridge's musical "Passing Show," opens at Winter Garden Theatre, NYC
  • 1922-11-13 George M. Cohan's musical "Little Nellie Kelly" opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 276 performances - Cohan's longest run

49ers

1922-11-13 Marc Connelly and George Kaufman's revue "'The 49ers" opens at Puch and Judy Theatre, NYC; runs for 16 performances

"The Young Idea"

1923-02-01 Noël Coward's stage comedy "The Young Idea" premieres at the Savoy Theatre, London; runs for 60 performances

  • 1923-02-21 Andre Charlot's musical "Rats" premieres in London
  • 1923-10-29 Gibbs, Grey and Wood's revue "Runnin' Wild" (introducing "The Charleston") opens on Broadway, New York City
  • 1923-12-31 Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy's musical "Kid Boots," premieres in New York City
  • 1924-06-26 "Ziegfeld Follies of 1924", featuring Billie Burke and W.C. Fields, opens at the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC
  • 1924-10-29 Musical revue "Dixie to Broadway" opens at Broadhurst Theater
  • 1924-11-24 Sidney Howard's stage drama "They Knew What They Wanted", opens at Garrick Theater (later transferring to the Klaw), NYC; runs for 414 performances, winning a Pulitzer Prize

Lady, Be Good!

1924-12-01 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's 1st collaborative musical "Lady, Be Good!", featuring siblings Fred Astaire and Adelle Astaire as a brother and sister dance team, opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC, runs for 330 performances

  • 1925-01-07 James F. Hanley, Joseph Meyer, and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Big Boy", starring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 56 performances
  • 1925-03-14 James F. Hanley, Joseph Meyer, and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Big Boy", starring Al Jolson, closes at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC, after 56 performances

Lady, Be Good!

1925-09-12 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's 1st collaborative musical "Lady, Be Good!", featuring siblings Fred Astaire and Adelle Astaire as a brother and sister dance team, closes at the Liberty Theatre, NYC, after 330 performances

  • 1925-11-14 Sidney Howard's stage drama "They Knew What They Wanted", closes at the Klaw Theatre, NYC; after 414 performances and a Pulitzer Prize win
  • 1925-12-08 George S. Kaufman and Irving Berlin's musical "The Cocoanuts" starring the Marx Brothers opens at the Lyric Theatre, NYC; runs for 276 performances
  • 1925-12-28 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's musical "Tip-Toes" opened at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 192 performances
  • 1926-02-08 Sean O'Casey's "Plough & Stars" opens at Abbey Theater Dublin
  • 1926-03-17 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "The Girl Friend", starring Sammy White and Eva Puck, opens at the Vanderbilt Theatre, NYC; runs for 301 performances

Birthdays in Music

  • 1752-04-05 Sébastien Érard, French musical instruments maker, born in Strasbourg, France (d. 1831)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

1756-01-27 Austrian musical prodigy and composer (The Marriage of Figaro; Jupiter Symphony), born in Salzburg, Austria

Mongkut (1804-1868)

1804-10-18 King of Thailand (1851-68), opened country to the West, (model for musical "The King and I"), born in Thonburi Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

  • 1808-10-24 Ernst Richter, German musical theorist and composer, born in Großschönau, Saxony, Germany (d. 1879)
  • 1812-11-28 Ludwig Mathias Lindeman, Norwegian organist, composer, musical folklorist, born in Trondheim, Norway (d. 1887)
  • 1813-08-10 William Henry Fry, American composer (Niagara Symphony), music director (Musical Fund Society), journalist, and music critic, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1864)
  • 1834-01-14 William Cleaver Francis Robinson, Irish governor and musical composer, born in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland (d. 1897)
  • 1836-09-10 Karl Merz, German-American composer (Brainard's Musical World), born in Bernsheim, Germany (d. 1890)
  • 1841-02-19 Felipe Pedrell, Spanish guitarist, composer (Excelsior; La Celestina), and musical scholar, born in Tortosa, Spain (d. 1922)
  • 1848-12-21 Edward Everett Rice, American pioneer producer and composer of musical theater, born in Brighton, Massachusetts (d. 1924)
  • 1857-02-28 Gustave Kerker, German born American composer for Broadway musicals (The Belle of New York), born in Hertford, Germany (d. 1923)
  • 1859-06-22 Frank Damrosch, German-born American author and music teacher (founded NY Musical Institute of Musical Art, later Julliard), born in Breslau, Silesia (d. 1937)
  • 1861-05-12 Ivan Caryll [Félix Tilkin], Belgian composer of operetta and musical comedy (The Shop Girl; The Spring Chicken; The Pink Lady), born in Liège, Belgium (d. 1921)
  • 1861-12-18 Lionel Monckton, British composer (Edwardian musical comedy), born in London, England (d. 1924)
  • 1862-03-13 Vasiliy Metallov, Russian composer and musical historian, born in Saratov, Russian Empire (d. 1926)
  • 1864-03-15 Leslie Stuart, [Thomas Barrett], British musical theater composer (Florodora), born in Southport, Lancashire, England (d. 1928)
  • 1865-12-13 Gustav Luders, German-American conductor and stage musical composer (The Prince of Pilsen), born in Bremen, Germany (d. 1913)
  • 1869-09-20 George Robey, English musical theatre actor and comedian, born in South London, England (d. 1954)
  • 1875-03-29 Paul Rubens, English musical comedy composer (Miss Hook of Holland), born in London (d. 1917)

George M. Cohan (1878-1942)

1878-07-03 American father of musical comedy (Phantom President; Give My Regards to Broadway), born in Providence, Rhode Island

  • 1879-12-12 Percy Fletcher, British composer, best known for his brass and military band music, and musical director, born in Derby, England (d. 1932)
  • 1894-09-09 Arthur Freed, American lyricist and film producer (Singin' in the Rain, and other MGM musicals), born in Charlestown, South Carolina (d. 1973)
  • 1895-01-11 Laurens Hammond, American engineer and inventor with 91 patents, including musical instruments (Hammond organ; Novachord synthesizer)), born in Evanston, Illinois (d. 1973)

Lorenz Hart (1895-1943)

1895-05-02 American lyricist ("I Could Write A Book"; "My Funny Valentine") and half of the Broadway musical team Rodgers and Hart, born in Harlem, New York

  • 1895-11-28 José Iturbi, Spanish concert pianist and conductor who appeared in nearly a dozen 1940s MGM musicals, born in Valencia, Spain (d. 1980)
  • 1896-08-27 Leon Theremin, Russian-Soviet electronic musical instruments inventor, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1993)
  • 1897-03-11 Henry Cowell, American pianist, composer (The Tides of Manaunaun; Aeolian Harp), and modern music promoter (New Musical Resources), born in Menlo Park, California (d. 1965)

Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952)

1898-07-04 English actress (Mimi, Rembrandt) and musical performer, born in London

  • 1901-06-10 Frederick Loewe [Friedrich Löwe], Austrian-American musical theater composer (with Alan Jay Lerner: My Fair Lady; Camelot; Brigadoon), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1988)
  • 1901-10-20 Adelaide Hall, American-English musical theatre, cabaret, and jazz singer (Cotton Club; "Creole Love Call" with Duke Ellington), born in Brooklyn, NYC (d. 1993) [1]
  • 1902-06-26 Hugues Cuénod, Swiss tenor and musical educator, born in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, Switzerland (d. 2010)
  • 1903-02-22 Robert Weede [Wiedefeld], American operatic and musical theater baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1937-48; The Most Happy Fella), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1972)
  • 1906-06-18 (James) "Kay" Kyser, American bandleader and radio personality (Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge), born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina (d. 1985)

Peter Carl Goldmark (1906-1977)

1906-12-02 Hungarian-American engineer (developed the 33-1/3 rpm LP phonograph record format), born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary

  • 1908-03-26 Hank Sylvern [Henry Silverstein], American organist, radio and television theme composer and musical director (Suspense; Jane Froman's USA Canteen; The Phil Silvers Show), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1964)
  • 1916-07-27 (Elbert) "Skippy" Williams, American jazz tenor saxophonist and musical arranger, born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (d. 1994)
  • 1917-06-23 Peter Knight, English musical arranger, conductor, and composer, born in Exmouth, Devon, England (d. 1985)
  • 1922-01-07 Robert De Cormier, American conductor and musical director (The Belafonte Folk Singers), born in Long Island, New York (d. 2017)
  • 1922-10-17 Louis Benjamin, British showman, organized Royal Variety performances, born in London, England (d. 1994)
  • 1923-05-04 Assi Rahbani, Lebanese musical theater composer, with his lyricist brother, Mansour (Biya el-Khawatim - The Ring Seller), born in Antelias, Lebanon (d. 1986)

Sheldon Harnick (1924-2023)

1924-04-30 American musical theater lyricist (Fiorello; Fiddler on the Roof), born in Chicago, Illinois [1]

  • 1924-05-03 Tom O'Horgan, American musical theater director (Hair; Jesus Christ Superstar), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2009)
  • 1925-07-23 Gloria DeHaven, American musical actress (Step Lively), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2016)

John Kander (97 years old)

1927-03-18 American musical theater and film composer, with Fred Ebb (Cabaret; Chicago; New York, New York; Funny Lady), born in Kansas City, Missouri

  • 1928-01-30 Mitch Leigh, American musical composer (Man of La Mancha), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2014)
  • 1928-02-03 Alan Fluck, Scottish musical educator, born in South Wales (d. 1997)
  • 1928-02-18 Tom Jones, American musical theatre lyricist (The Fantasticks; 110 In the Shade), born in Littlefield, Texas (d. 2023) [1]

Fred Ebb (1928-2004)

1928-04-08 American musical theater lyricist, with John Kander (Cabaret; Chicago; New York, New York; Funny Lady), born in New York City

  • 1928-05-25 Frigyes Hidas, Hungarian composer, and musical director (Hungarian National Theater, 1951-66; Budapest Operetta, 1974-79), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2007)
  • 1928-12-06 Bobby Van [Stein], American stage and screen musical singer and actor (The Affairs of Dobie Gillis; Small Town Girl), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1980)
  • 1929-07-15 Charles Anthony [Caruso], tenor (2,928 performances at Metropolitan Opera), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2012)
  • 1929-09-12 Harvey Schmidt, American musical theatre composer (The Fantasticks; 110 In the Shade), and illustrator, born in Dallas, Texas (d. 2018)
  • 1930-10-17 Angelo Paccignini, Italian composer (Flou II), educator (Milan Conservatory - electronic music chair. 1969-80), and musical director (Nuova Armonia), born in Castano Primo, Italy (d. 2001)
  • 1932-02-16 Harry Goz, American musical theatre actor and voice actor, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2003)
  • 1932-02-29 Reri Grist, African-American musical theater and operatic coloratura soprano (West Side Story - "Somewhere"; Zurich Opera, 1962-66; Bayerische Staatsoper, 1965-87; New York Metropolitan Opera, 1966-79), born in New York City
  • 1933-07-10 Jerry Herman, American musical theater composer (Hello, Dolly!; Mame; La Cage aux Folles), born in New York City (d. 2019)
  • 1935-03-17 (Patrick Henry} "Adam" Wade, American pop singer (The Writing On The Wall), actor (Kiss Me Goodbye), and 1st US Black game show host (Musical Chairs), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
  • 1936-04-05 John White, English-German experimental composer and musical performer (systems music), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2024)
  • 1937-07-03 David Shire, American songwriter and composer of stage musicals, film and television scores (The Conversation; All the President's Men), born in Buffalo, New York
  • 1941-07-01 John Gould, British composer and musical comic
  • 1942-03-02 Luc Plamondon, French Canadian musical lyricist, born in Saint-Raymond, Quebec
  • 1942-09-11 Gerome Ragni, American playwright and songwriter (Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1991)
  • 1945-04-12 Doug Riley, Canadian jazz keyboard player (Dr. Music), and musical director (Famous People Players), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2007)
  • 1946-12-08 John Rubinstein, American stage and screen actor, and singer (Pippin; Family: Grumpy Old Men (The Musical)), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1947-02-13 Kevin Bloody Wilson [Dennis Bryant], Australian musical comedian, born in Sydney, Australia
  • 1947-02-27 Louis Clark, British musical arranger and keyboard player (Electric Light Orchestra), born in Kempston, England
  • 1948-03-05 Elaine Paige, British musical theater singer and actress (Evita; Sunset Boulevard), born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
  • 1948-03-05 Richard Hickox, British organist, musical director, and conductor (City of London Sinfonia, 1971-2008; London Symphony Chorus from 1976-91), born in Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire, England (d. 2008)
  • 1951-02-09 David Pomeranz, American singer, composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theater ("On This Day"), born in New York City
  • 1951-05-06 Davey Johnstone, Scottish guitarist, and musical director (Elton John's band, 1971–1977, 1982–present), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • 1951-06-13 Howard Leese, American guitarist, record producer, and musical director (Heart), born in Hollywood, California
  • 1951-10-02 Bill Elliott, American Tony Award-winning musical theater orchestrator, film composer, pianist and bandleader, born in Wayland, Massachusetts
  • 1954-04-10 Lenny Pickett, American saxophonist and musical director (Saturday Night Live band, 1985-; Tower of Power, 1973-81), born in Las Cruces, New Mexico
  • 1954-08-23 Avery Sharpe, American jazz bassist (McCoy Tyner, Yusef Lateef), composer (400: An African American Musical Portrait), and educator, born in Valdosta, Georgia
  • 1959-03-07 Donna Murphy, American musical theatre actress (The King and I), born in Queens, New York
  • 1959-10-10 Victoria Clark, American actress (Kimberly Akimbo - Tony for Best Musical Actress 2023), born in Dallas, Texas
  • 1961-02-03 Linda Eder, American pop and musical theater singer, born in Tucson, Arizona
  • 1961-11-04 Edward Knight, American contemporary classical, jazz, and musical theater composer (Total Eclipse; Big Shoulders), born in Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • 1964-06-10 Gary Wallis, British session and touring drummer, percussionist, and musical director (Pink Floyd; 10cc; Il Divo; Mike + The Mechanics; Tom Jones; Jean-Michel Jarre; and Schiller), born in Westminster, London, England
  • 1967-07-31 Minako Honda, Japanese singer and musical actress, born in Itabashi, Tokyo (d. 2005)
  • 1969-07-06 Michael Grant, British reggae-rock keyboardist and singer (Musical Youth - "Pass the Dutchie"), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1970-06-08 "Seu" Jorge [da Silva], Brazilian musical artist, songwriter, singer, and actor (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), born in Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 1970-07-10 Helen Sjöholm, Swedish singer and musical theatre actress (Kristina från Duvemåla; Chess), born in Sundsvall, Sweden
  • 1972-12-14 Eric Anderson, American musical theatre actor, born in Newport Beach, California
  • 1973-12-28 Herborg Kråkevik, Norwegian folk singer and musical theater actress, born in Jondal, Norway
  • 1976-05-17 Wang Leehom, American-Taiwanese pop and musical theater singer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, born in Rochester, New York
  • 1979-07-15 Laura Benanti, American musical theatre actress
  • 1980-11-13 Monique Coleman, American actress (High School Musical), born in Orangeburg, South Carolina
  • 1981-03-26 Anaïs Mitchell, American singer-songwriter and playwright (Hadestown - 2019 Tony for Best Musical), born in Vermont
  • 1982-04-30 Drew Seeley, Canadian actor, dancer, songwriter and singer (High School Musical), born in Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1985-06-25 Annaleigh Ashford, American actress (musical Kinky Boots), born in Denver, Colorado

Ashley Tisdale (38 years old)

1985-07-02 American actress and singer (High School Musical), born in Monmouth County, New Jersey

  • 1986-03-17 Olesya Rulin, Russian-American actress (High School Musical), born in Moscow, Soviet Union
  • 1987-10-18 Zac Efron, American actor (17 Again), and singer (High School Musical; The Greatest Showman), born in San Luis Obispo, California,
  • 1989-02-21 Corbin Bleu [Reivers], American actor and singer (High School Musical - "Chad"), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1990-08-17 Colin Bates, American-British actor, dancer, and singer (Billy Elliot - The Musical), born in Pasedena, California
  • 1992-09-22 Lauren Patten, American Tony Award-winning actress and singer (Jagged Little Pill (the musical)), born in Downers Grove, Illinois
  • 1997-09-07 Dean-Charles Chapman, English actor ( Billy Elliot the Musical, 1917), born in Essex, England
  • 2000-12-22 Joshua Bassett, American actor and singer (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), born in Oceanside, California

Weddings in Music

Ernest Borgnine & Ethel Merman

1964-06-27 Broadway musical actress-singer Ethel Merman (56) weds Academy Award-winning actor Ernest Borgnine (47) in Beverly Hills, California; divorce 1964

  • 1996-01-27 "ER" TV actress Yvette Freeman (39) weds musical director Lawny Hartley (49) in Dunleith, Delaware
  • 1996-09-04 Judy Garland's daughter Lorna Luft (44) weds second husband musician and musical director Colin Freeman (30) at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, United Kingdom
  • 2009-01-09 High School Musical actress KayCee Stroh (24) weds Ben Higginson (24) at Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah

Divorces in Music

Ernest Borgnine & Ethel Merman

1964-07-28 Broadway musical actress-singer Ethel Merman (56) divorces Academy Award-winning actor Ernest Borgnine (47) after 32 days of marriage

  • 2012-06-05 NBC musical drama series "Smash" actress Debra Messing (43) divorces actor and producer Daniel Zelman (44) by their mutual decision after 10 years of marriage

Deaths in Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

1791-12-05 Austrian musical prodigy and composer (The Marriage of Figaro; Jupiter Symphony), dies at 35

  • 1807-09-12 Edward Miller, English organist, flautist, composer (Rockingham; Galway), and musical theorist (Treatise of Thorough Bass and Composition), dies at 71
  • 1860-02-29 George Bridgetower, Polish-African violinist (musical prodigy who inspired Beethoven), dies at 81 [1]
  • 1864-12-21 William Henry Fry, American composer (Niagara Symphony), music director (Musical Fund Society), journalist, and music critic, dies of tuberculosis at 51

Mongkut (1804-1868)

1868-10-01 King of Thailand (1851-68), opened country to the West (model for musical "The King and I"), dies of malaria at 63

  • 1879-04-09 Ernst Richter, German musical theorist and composer, dies at 70
  • 1879-09-08 Nikolay Ivanovich Zaremba, Russian musical teacher to Tchaikovsky and composer, dies at 58
  • 1887-05-23 Ludwig Mathias Lindeman, Norwegian organist, composer, musical folklorist, dies at 74
  • 1898-11-04 (Charles) Jerome Hopkins, American composer, pianist, critic, and musical education advocate, dies of a brain hemorrhage at 62
  • 1913-01-24 Gustav Luders, German-American conductor and stage musical composer (The Prince of Pilsen), dies at 47
  • 1917-02-05 Paul Rubens, English musical comedy composer, (Miss Hook of Holland), dies at 41
  • 1921-11-29 Ivan Caryll [Félix Tilkin], Belgian composer of operetta and musical comedy (The Shop Girl; The Spring Chicken; The Pink Lady), dies at 60
  • 1924-02-15 Lionel Monckton, British composer (Edwardian musical comedy), dies at 62
  • 1928-03-27 Leslie Stuart [Thomas Barrett], British musical theater composer (Florodora), dies at 64

George M. Cohan (1878-1942)

1942-11-05 American father of musical comedy (Phantom President; Give My Regards to Broadway), dies of cancer at 64

Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952)

1952-09-06 English actress (Mimi, Rembrandt) and musical performer, dies of liver and abdominal cancer at 54

  • 1954-11-29 George Robey, English musical theatre actor and comedian, dies at 85
  • 1956-09-06 Felix Borowski, British-American composer, educator (Chicago Musical College, 1896-1925), and musicologist (Chicago Symphony, 1908-56), dies at 84
  • 1964-07-04 Hank Sylvern [Henry Silverstein], American organist, radio and television theme composer and musical director (Suspense; Jane Froman's USA Canteen; The Phil Silvers Show), dies at 56
  • 1973-07-01 Laurens Hammond, American engineer and musical instrument inventor (Hammond organ), dies at 78
  • 1980-06-28 José Iturbi, Spanish concert pianist and conductor who appeared in nearly a dozen 1940s MGM musicals, dies at 84
  • 1980-07-31 Bobby Van [Stein], American stage and screen musical singer and actor (The Affairs of Dobie Gillis; Small Town Girl), dies of brain cancer at 49
  • 1985-07-30 Peter Knight, English musical arranger, conductor, and composer, dies at 68
  • 1988-02-14 Frederick Loewe [Friedrich Löwe], Austrian-American musical theater composer (with Alan Jay Lerner: My Fair Lady; Camelot; Brigadoon), dies at 86
  • 1991-07-10 Gerome Ragni, American playwright and songwriter (Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical), dies of cancer at 55
  • 1993-08-10 Øystein Aarseth, Norwegian black-metal guitarist (Mayhem), stabbed to death by a musical rival at 25
  • 1993-10-26 Harold Rome, American musical theater composer (Fanny; Pins and Needles), dies at 85
  • 1993-11-03 Leon Theremin, Russian-Soviet electronic musical instrument inventor, dies at 97
  • 1993-11-07 Adelaide Hall, American-English musical theatre, cabaret, and jazz singer (Cotton Club; "Creole Love Call" with Duke Ellington), dies at 92 [1]
  • 1994-02-28 (Elbert) "Skippy" Williams, American jazz tenor saxophonist and musical arranger, dies at 77
  • 1994-06-20 Louis Benjamin, British showman, organized Royal Variety performances, dies at 71
  • 1994-09-13 Pieter Zaanen, Dutch architect (Musical Trade scholarship, Amsterdam), dies at 63
  • 1996-06-14 Thomas Edward Montgomery, American jazz drummer and musical director, dies at 73
  • 1997-11-15 Saul Chaplin [Kaplan], American Oscar Award-winning stage, and screen composer, arranger, and orchestrator (An American in Paris; "The Anniversary Song"), dies at 85
  • 1997-12-24 Alan Fluck, Scottish musical educator, dies at 69
  • 1999-07-02 Angelo Paccignini, Italian composer (Flou II), educator (Milan Conservatory - electronic music chair. 1969-80), and musical director (Nuova Armonia), dies at 68
  • 2003-09-06 Harry Goz, American musical theatre actor and voice actor, dies at 71
  • 2004-02-03 Jason Raize, American musical theatre actor (b. 1975)

Fred Ebb (1928-2004)

2004-09-11 American musical theater lyricist, with John Kander (Cabaret; Chicago; New York, New York; Funny Lady), dies of a heart attack at 76

  • 2005-11-06 Minako Honda, Japanese singer and musical actress, dies of leukemia at 38
  • 2007-03-07 Frigyes Hidas, Hungarian composer, and musical director (Hungarian National Theater, 1951-66; Budapest Operetta, 1974-79). dies at 78
  • 2007-08-27 Douglas "Doug" Riley [Dr Music], Canadian musician and musical director (Famous People Players), dies of a heart attack at 62
  • 2009-01-11 Tom O'Horgan, American musical theater director (Hair; Jesus Christ Superstar), dies from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 84
  • 2010-12-06 Hugues Cuénod, Swiss tenor and musical educator, dies at 108
  • 2012-01-24 Patricia Neway, American opera and musical theatre singer, dies at 83
  • 2012-06-21 Richard Adler, American musical theater composer and songwriter (Pajama Game; Damn Yankees)), dies at 90
  • 2014-03-16 Mitch Leigh, American musical composer (Man of La Mancha), dies at 86
  • 2016-07-30 Gloria DeHaven, American musical actress (Step Lively), dies at 91
  • 2017-11-07 Robert De Cormier, American conductor and musical director (The Belafonte Folk Singers), dies at 95
  • 2018-02-28 Harvey Schmidt, American musical theatre composer (The Fantasticks; 110 in the Shade), and illustrator, dies of complications of congestive heart failure at 88
  • 2019-12-26 Jerry Herman, American musical theater composer (Hello, Dolly!; Mame; La Cage aux Folles), dies at 88

Sheldon Harnick (1924-2023)

2023-06-23 American musical theater lyricist (Fiorello; Fiddler on the Roof), dies at 99 [1]

  • 2023-08-11 Tom Jones, American musical theatre lyricist (The Fantasticks; 110 In the Shade), dies of cancer at 95 [1]