Events in Music on May 1

1786 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Vienna with Mozart himself directing

1931 Singer Kate Smith begins her long-running association with CBS radio, various programs continue until 1945
1950 Pulitzer prize awarded to Rodgers & Hammerstein for musical "South Pacific"
1966 Last British concert by Beatles (Empire Pool in Wembley)
1968 "Ben Franklin in Paris" closes at Lunt Fontanne NYC after 215 performances

1969 Reprise Records releases "Clouds", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 2nd studio album

1979 Elton John performs for 1st time in Israel, kicking off a mini-tour of 5 shows in six nights

1980 "Day in Hollywood, A Night..." opens at John Golden NYC for 588 performances
1980 15th Academy of Country Music Awards: Larry Gatlin and Crystal Gayle win
1983 "My One & Only" opens at St James Theater NYC for 767 performances

1984 Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) files for bankruptcy

1988 "Romance/Romance" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 297 performances
1990 "Prelude to a Kiss" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC
1991 Cy Coleman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green' s musical "Will Rogers Follies" premieres at The Palace Theater, NYC; runs for 981 performances
1991 "Will Rogers Follies" opens at Palace Theater NYC for 983 performances
1994 "My Fair Lady" closes at Virginia Theater NYC after 165 performances
1994 Jim Cartwright's play "The Rise & Fall of Little Voice" opens at Neil Simon Theater, NYC; runs for 9 performances
1995 "On the Waterfront" opens at Atkinson Theater NYC for 8 performances
1995 "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" single released by John Michael Montgomery (Billboard Song of the Year 1995)
1996 "Ideal Husband" opens at Barrymore Theater NYC for 308 performances