- 7 January 1897 – The Teatro Amazonas, an opera house in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil, held its first opera performance with Ponchielli's La Gioconda.
- 13 January 1979 – The Australian-born soprano, Marjorie Lawrence died in Hot Springs, Arkansas, at the age of 71. She was particularly known for roles in Wagner's operas until her stage career was cut short by polio in 1941.
- 17 January 1901 – Pietro Mascagni's opera, Le maschere, premiered simultaneously in six Italian opera houses.
- 23 January 1890 – Édouard Lalo's opera, Le roi d'Ys, received its American premiere at the French Opera House in New Orleans.
- 22 January 1883 – Carlo Baucardé (pictured), who created the title role in Verdi's Il trovatore, died in his native Florence at the age of 58.
- 27 January 1756 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the composer of The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and The Magic Flute, was born in Salzburg.
- 27 January 1901 – Giuseppe Verdi, one of Italy's greatest opera composers, died in Milan at the age of 87.
- 31 January 1994 – Barcelona's historic opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, was destroyed by fire.