Met Opera Opened La Traviata Nov. 5, 1883, as Sixth First Season Opera

Summary: Met Opera opened La Traviata Monday, Nov. 5, 1883, as the first season's sixth premiere.

Marcella Sembrich originated the Met Opera role of Violetta in the Metropolitan Opera House's inaugural season (1883-1884) performances of La Traviata: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Nov. 4, 2019

Met Opera opened La Traviata Monday, Nov. 5, 1883, as the sixth premiere in the opera house's first season lineup of 20 operas.

The three-act opera (opera in tre atti) by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) received six performances, sung in Italian, in Met Opera's inaugural season, 1883-1884. The opera's premiere (Monday, Nov. 5), second performance (Saturday, Nov. 10) and third performance (Friday, Dec. 21) were held at the Metropolitan Opera House. The fourth performance, Monday, Dec. 31, was offered at the Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The fifth performance, Thursday, Jan. 31, 1884, was given at Haverly's Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The sixth, closing performance, Monday, March 31, was staged at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Auguste Vianesi (Nov. 2, 1837-Nov. 4, 1908) conducted all six of the season's performances of La Traviata. The French-naturalized, northwestern Italy-born conductor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the first season's inaugural premiere, Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Marcella Sembrich (Feb. 15, 1858-Jan. 11, 1935) sang the title role of Violetta in all six performances. The Polish coloratura soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, in the title role in Met Opera's second premiere, Lucia di Lammermoor by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

Victor Capoul (Feb. 27, 1839-Feb. 18, 1924) sang opposite Marcella Sembrich as Alfredo in all six performances. The French operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Oct. 27, 1883, in the title role in the second performance of Gounod's Faust.

Giuseppe Del Puente (Jan. 30, 1841-May 25, 1900) appeared as Germont, Alfredo's father, in the season's first three performances and again in the last two performances. The Italian baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Valentin in the inaugural premiere of Gounod's Faust.

Giuseppe Del Puente shared the role of Germont with Achille Augier, who sang Germont in the fourth performance. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Raimondo in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Emilie Deméric-Lablache (Oct. 6, 1830-?), credited as Emily Lablache, sang Flora, Violetta's friend, in all six performances. The French mezzo-soprano-contralto's premiere performance, Monday, Nov. 5, as Flora marked her Met Opera debut.

Vincenzo Fornaris appeared as Alfredo's friend Gastone in all six performances. The Italian tenor had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Arturo in the second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Achille Augier sang Baron Douphol, Alfredo's rival for Violetta's affections, in the season's first three performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Raimondo in the inaugural season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Achille Augier shared the role with Amadeo Grazzi, who sang Baron Douphol in the season's last three performances. Amadeo Grazzi had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Normanno in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Baldassare Corsini sang Marquis D'Obigny, lover of Violetta's friend Flora, in all six performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1883, as Laërte in the season's fifth premiere, Mignon by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sept. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864).

Ludovico Contini appeared as Dr. Grenvil, who diagnoses Violetta's near-death condition, in all six performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Wagner in the season's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Imogene Forti sang as Annina, Violetta's maid, in the season's first five performances. She had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Alisa in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Imogene Forti shared the role with Louise Lablache (1855?-1926), who sang Annina in the closing performance. The French mezzo-soprano, daughter of Emily Lablache, had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Marthe in the opera house's opening night performance of Gounod's Faust.

Giuseppe Barberis appeared as Violetta's servant Giuseppe in all six performances. His premiere appearance as Giuseppe Monday, Nov. 5, had marked his Met Opera debut.

The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) credits Malvina Cavalazzi (Cavallazzi) (ca. 1851/1862-1924) for "Dance." The Metropolitan Opera's first ballerina's premiere dance appearance Monday, Nov. 5, had marked her Met Opera debut.

Mr. Corani (Henry De Courtney Corani, ca. 1849-May 1905) and Mr. Abbiati directed the first season's production of La Traviata. Their production team comprised Charles Fox, Jr., William Schaeffer, Gaspar Maeder (ca. 1840-Jan. 18, 1892) and Mr. Thompson as set designers and Henry Dazian (May 3, 1854-May 4, 1937) and D. Ascoli as costume designers. La Traviata's directors, set designers and costume designers had all made their Met Opera debuts Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the season's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

La Traviata numbered as the second of three Verdi operas staged in Met Opera's opening season, 1883-1884. Il Trovatore had opened Friday, Oct. 26, as first Verdi opera and as the inaugural season's third premiere. Rigoletto opened Friday, Nov. 16, as the season's third Verdi opera and ninth premiere.

La Traviata premiered Monday, Nov. 5, as the sixth of the first season's 20 premieres. Two days later, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, Lohengrin, by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883), premiered as the first season's seventh premiere.

The takeaways for La Traviata's opening Monday, Nov. 5, as the sixth premiere in Met Opera's first season are that Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's tragic opera received six performances in the opera house's inaugural season, 1883-1884; that La Traviata was staged as the second of the season's three Verdi operas; and that French mezzo-soprano Louise Lablache's Met Opera debut Saturday, March 31, marked her first appearance in a Met Opera first season opera with her mother, French mezzo-soprano-contralto Emily Lablache.

1895 tipped-in color typogravure of Marcella Sembrich as La Traviata's Violetta, the Met Opera role originated at the Metropolitan Opera by the Polish coloratura soprano during the opera house's first season, 1883-1884: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook March 7, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Marcella Sembrich originated the Met Opera role of Violetta in the Metropolitan Opera House's inaugural season (1883-1884) performances of La Traviata: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Nov. 4, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/2474875685911274/

1895 tipped-in color typogravure of Marcella Sembrich as La Traviata's Violetta, the Met Opera role originated at the Metropolitan Opera by the Polish coloratura soprano during the opera house's first season, 1883-1884: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Nov. 16, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3406616092737224/

For further information:

"Debut: Baldassare Corsini." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:1050 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Mignon {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/31/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1050

"Debut: Emily Lablache, Giuseppe Barberis, Malvina Cavalazzi." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:1080 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Traviata {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/5/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1080

"Debut: Victor Capoul." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1030 Faust {2} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 10/27/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1030

"Debuts: Italo Campanini, Christine Nilsson, Franco Novara, Giuseppe Del Puente, Sofia Scalchi, Louise Lablache, Ludovico Contini, Auguste Vianesi, Mr. Corani, Mr. Abbiati, Charles Fox, Jr., William Schaeffer, Gaspar Maeder, Mr. Thompson, D. Ascoli, Henry Dazian." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:1000 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Faust {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/22/1883. Metropolitan Opera Premiere Opening Night {1}.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1000

"Debuts: Marcella Sembrich, Giuseppe Kaschmann, Achille Augier, Amadeo Grazzi, Imogene Forti, Vincenzo Fornaris." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1010 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Lucia di Lammermoor {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/24/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1010

Marriner, Derdriu. "Il Trovatore Opened Oct. 26 as Third Opera in Met Opera’s First Season." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 5, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/10/il-trovatore-opened-oct-26-as-third.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Metropolitan Opera Premiered 20 Operas During Opening Season 1883-1884." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 14, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/10/metropolitan-opera-premiered-20-operas.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "La Traviata Is the Dec.15, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/la-traviata-is-dec15-2018-met-opera.html

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere: La Traviata.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1080 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Traviata {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/5/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1080

Rous, Samuel Holland. The Victrola Book of the Opera: Stories of One Hundred and Twenty Operas With Seven-Hundred Illustrations and Descriptions of Twelve-Hundred Victor Opera Records. Fourth revised edition. Camden NJ: Victor Talking Machine Company, 1917.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/victrolabookofop00vict

The Sembrich @TheSembrich. "Among the roles Mme. Sembrich sang with The Metropolitan Opera, that of Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" is one of her most celebrated. This print of Sembrich as Violetta is 125 years old and first appeared in a print collection in 1895!" Facebook. Nov. 16, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3406616092737224/

The Sembrich @TheSembrich. "136 years ago tomorrow (11/5), Mme. Sembrich sang as Violetta in the The Metropolitan Opera's first production of Verdi's "La Traviata." She garnered incredible praise for her portrayal of the charming courtesan." Facebook. Nov. 4, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/2474875685911274/

The Sembrich @TheSembrich. "Madame Sembrich as Violetta." Facebook. March 7, 2016.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/974672502598274z

The Sembrich @TheSembrich. "This season, The Metropolitan Opera presented Verdi's La Traviata! Madame Sembrich was the first to perform this role with the company. The image below shows the elegant costume worn in her portrayal of the ailing Violetta. In other roles, Sembrich, "...had previously displayed her marvelous vocal resources, the rare beauty of her voice, and her admirable technique; last evening she came forward as an actress of no uncertain rank and presented an embodiment of the Lady of the Camellias conceived with excellent taste and well carried out to the end." (The New York Times 1883)." Facebook. Feb. 4, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/2016631415069039/