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The Life and Times of

1882 w Igor Stravinsky is born in Oranienbaum, near 1911 w Stravinsky writes another score for St. Petersburg, on June 17. Diaghilev: Petrouchka.

w Tchaikovsky composes the famous 1812 w Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier receives its first Overture. performance in Dresden.

1908 w Stravinsky composes his orchestral piece w Bartók completes Bluebeard’s Castle. Fantastique which catches the attention of Ballet Russes artistic director, w Marie Curie is awarded the Nobel Prize for . Chemistry.

w Stravinsky’s teacher and mentor, Nikolai w The world’s first national park service, the Rimsky-Korsakov dies. Dominion Parks Branch (now Parks Canada) is established. w The Ford Motor Company produces the first Model “T” car. 1913 w Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps () premieres in , with w Anne of Avonlea makes her world debut in choreography by Nijinksy, causing riots in the Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic tale Anne of audience during its premiere. Green Gables. w Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist 1909 w Stravinsky begins to collaborate with Sergei and professor, Robertson Davies, is born in Diaghilev’s Russes. Thamesville, Ontario.

w Elektra, by , receives its first w The modern zipper is invented. performance in Dresden. 1914 w The , Stravinsky’s first , w Construction begins on the RMS Titanic in based on a story by , Belfast. receives its premiere performance at Opéra national de Paris. 1910 w Stravinsky’s ballet debuts in Paris. w is precipitated by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in w Gaston Leroux writes the novel The Phantom Sarajevo. of the Opera. w Canada is automatically drawn into the conflict w Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier creates a when Britain declares war on Germany. Canadian navy via the Naval Services Bill. Parliament passes the War Measures Act allowing the suspension of civil rights during periods of emergency.

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Nightingale Study Guide 2009/2010 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2392 w The Royal Ontario Museum opens. 1950 w is founded. Click here to discover the history of the company. 1922 w The Fox and , two short Stravinsky based on Russian folk tales, are 1951 w Stravinsky’s opera The Rake’s Progress, one produced in Paris. of the greatest post-war operas, is produced in , with a libretto by W. H. Auden w The world’s first insulin treatment is made at and after engravings by the the Toronto General Hospital. British artist, (1697 – 1764).

w Sir Frederick Banting, Dr. Charles Best, Dr. w The new headquarters for the United Nations J. J. R. MacLeod and J. B. Collip share the opens in New York City. Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin. w Italian Gian Carlo Menotti writes w The women of Prince Edward Island win the Amahl and the Night Visitors, an opera right to vote. commissioned by NBC-TV in the United States. w The Union of Social Soviet Republics (U.S.S.R.) is founded. w American writer, J. D. Salinger, publishes his controversial novel, The Catcher in the Rye. 1927 w , Stravinsky’s opera- based on ’s version of w Colour television is first introduced in the Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, is produced in United States. Paris. w The National Ballet of Canada gives its first w Charles Lindbergh flies The Spirit of St. performance in the Eaton Auditorium (now Louis across the Atlantic. It is the first solo, known as the Carlu), and its current Artistic transatlantic flight, direct from New York City Director and retired prima ballerina Karen Kain to Paris. is born in Hamilton, Ontario.

w Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs setting a major 1962 w Stravinsky writes an opera for television, league record. , using serial techniques. He visits Toronto and works with the CBC w Showboat, written by Jerome Kern and Oscar for a CBC documentary. Hammerstein II, receives its first performance in New York. w American playwright Edward Albee writes Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1930 w Stravinsky completes his of , a work for chorus and orchestra w -Canada Highway officially opens. (without violins or violas). w Saskatchewan NDP introduces Canada’s first w The Mickey Mouse comic strip makes its first Medicare Plan and is opposed by a doctors’ appearance. strike.

w Photoflash bulb comes into use. 1971 w Stravinsky dies in New York City.

w Pluto is discovered by American astronomer w Theme parks become the rage: Clyde Tombaugh. World opens in Florida and Ontario Place opens in Toronto. w Professional hockey defenseman for the NHL, business man and co-founder of a popular restaurant chain, Tim Horton is born in Events listed are taken from Bernard Grun’s Timetables of History, New Cochrane, Ontario. York: Simon and Schuster, 1982; and 1995; The Canadian Global Almanac, ed. John Robert Colombo, Toronto: Macmillan Canada, 1995.

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Nightingale Study Guide 2009/2010 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2392