- 1689 Henry Purcell & Tates opera "Dido & Aeneas" premieres in Chesea
- 1731 1st US music concert (Peter Pelham's great room in Boston)
- 1844 Opera "Stradella" after being rewritten is produced (Hamburg)
- 1877 Johnannes Brahms' 2nd Symphony in D, premieres in Vienna
- 1884 Anton Bruckner's 7th Symphony in E, premieres in Leipzig
- 1929 Cole Porter's musical "Wake Up & Dream" premieres in NYC
- 1948 "Kiss Me, Kate" opens at New Century Theater NYC for 1077 performances
- 1950 "Sixty Minute Man" record single released by The Dominoes (Billboard Song of the Year 1951)
- 1954 "House of Flowers" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 165 performances
Music Premiere
1954 Harold Arlen and Truman Capotes musical "House of Flowers" premieres in NYC
Truman Capote
Music Premiere
1961 Premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich's 4th Symphony in Moscow (completed 1936)
Dmitri Shostakovich
- 1967 Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks
Music Recording
1968 Frank Sinatra first records "My Way" with lyrics were written by Paul Anka and based on the French song "Comme d'habitude"
Frank Sinatra
Music Single
1981 "That Girl" single released by Stevie Wonder (Billboard Song of the Year 1982)
Stevie Wonder
Knighthood
2016 Ray Davies of The Kinks is awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II
December in History
Business a Rocky Road for Hansom Cab Pioneer
Architect and inventor Joseph Hansom was a man of vision who somehow found it impossible to turn his great ideas into money-making ventures.
December 23, 1834
The Day Murdoch Spoilt the Queen's Christmas
Queen Elizabeth II made the first live Christmas Day broadcast of her reign on December 25, 1952. Forty years later a pre-recorded message would be leaked.
December 25, 1952
'Hitler Will Have to Break Us or Lose the War'
The German Luftwaffe were hammering the British RAF until a furious and frustrated Hitler changed the plan and possibly the outcome of the war.
December 29, 1940
The Taming of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill made an emotional speech to the Canadian Parliament on this day, December 30, 1941. His photograph from that day is just as memorable.
December 30, 1941