Met Opera Opened Mignon Oct. 31, 1883, as Fifth First Season Premiere

Summary: Met Opera opened Mignon Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1883, as the fifth first season premiere in an inaugural lineup of 20 season premieres.

Swedish operatic soprano Christine (Christina) Nilsson originated the role of Ambroise Thomas' Mignon at the Metropolitan Opera in the opera house's inaugural season (1883-1884) premiere: February 1874 stereocard portrait of Christine Nilsson by J. Gurney & Son, New York NY; Marian S. Carson Collection, Library of Congress (LOC) Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known restrictions on publication, via LOC Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC)

Met Opera opened Mignon Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1883, as the fifth first season opera and as the first of the season's two Ambroise Thomas operas.

The three-act opéra comique (comic opera) by French composer Ambroise Thomas (Aug. 5, 1811-Feb. 12, 1896) received eight performances, sung in Italian, in Met Opera' first season, 1883-1884. The premiere, Wednesday, Oct. 31, and the opera's second (Saturday, Nov. 3) and third (Wednesday, Nov. 21) performances were staged at the Metropolitan Opera House. The fourth performance, Saturday, Dec. 29, was held at the Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The fifth performance, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 1884, took place at Haverly's Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The sixth performance, Tuesday, Feb. 19, was offered at the Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio. The opera returned to the Metropolitan Opera House for the seventh performance, Saturday, April 5. Mignon's closing, eighth performance took place Thursday, April 17, at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Auguste Vianesi (Nov. 2, 1837-Nov. 4, 1908) conducted the Wednesday, Oct. 31, premiere and the opera's last six performances in Met Opera's first season. The French-naturalized, northwestern Italy-born conductor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the first season's inaugural premiere, by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Maestro Vianese shared the conductor's podium with Cleofonte Campanini (Sept. 1, 1860-Dec. 19, 1919). The Italian conductor appeared in Mignon's second performance, Saturday, Nov. 3. Maestro Campanini's Mignon conductorship marked his Met Opera debut.

Christine Nilsson (Aug. 20, 1843-Nov. 20, 1921) sang the title role in all eight performances. The Swedish operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Marguerite in the first season's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Victor Capoul (Feb. 27, 1839-Feb. 18, 1924) sang Wilhelm Meister, who realizes that he reciprocates Mignon's love for him, in all eight performances. The French operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Oct. 27, 1883, in the title role in the season's second performance of Faust.

Alwina Valleria (Oct. 12, 1848-Feb. 17, 1925) sang Philine, Mignon's rival for Wilhelm's affections, in the season's first seven performances of Mignon. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) noted Alwina Valleria's appearance in the season's seventh performance, Saturday, April 5, as her last Met Opera performance. The American soprano had made her Met Opera debut as Leonora in the opening season's third premiere, Il Trovatore by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Alwina Valleria shared the role with Ida Corani, who sang Philine in the season's closing performance, Thursday, April 17. Ida Corani had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 29, as Enrichetta in the premiere of the first season's fourth opera, I Puritani by 19th century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835).

Giuseppe Del Puente (Jan. 30, 1841-May 25, 1900) sang Lothario, a wandering minstrel who reveals himself as Mignon's castle-owning father, in the premiere (Wednesday, Oct. 31), second (Saturday, Nov. 3) and fourth (Saturday, Dec. 29) performances. The Italian baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Valentin in the opening season's first premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Giuseppe Del Puente shared the role of Lothario with Giovanni Mirabella and Franco Novara. Giovanni Mirabella sang Lothario in the opera's third performance, Wednesday, Nov. 21. The Florentine bass had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 29, 1883, as Giorgio in the opening season's fourth premiere, Bellini's I Puritani.

Franco Novara (1859-Jan. 7, 1899) appeared as Lothario in the season's fifth (Wednesday, Jan. 30, 1884), sixth (Tuesday, Feb. 19), seventh (Saturday, April 5) and closing, eighth (Thursday, April 17) performances. English bass Francis Naish, whose stage name was Franco Novara, had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Méphistophélès in the opening season's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Sofia Scalchi (Nov. 29, 1850-Aug. 22, 1922) sang the trouser role of Frédéric, Wilhelm's rival for Philine's atttention, in all eight performances. The Italian operatic contralto-mezzosoprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the trouser role of Siebel in the opening season's first premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Baldassare Corsini sang Laërte in all eight performances. His premiere appearance Wednesday, Oct. 31, marked his Met Opera debut.

Ludovico Contini appeared as gypsy Jarno in all eight performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Wagner in the opening season's opening premiere, Gounod's Faust.

The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) lists as "not performed" the bass role of Antonio, a servant at the castle owned by Mignon's father. as "not performed" in the season's first five performances and last two performances. Amadeo Grazzi is credited as Antonio in the sixth performance, Tuesday, Feb. 19. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Normanno in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Mr. Abbiati and Mr. Corani (Henry De Courtney Corani, ca. 1849-May 1905) directed the production. Charles Fox, Jr., William Schaeffer, Gaspar Maeder (ca. 1840-Jan. 18, 1892) and Mr. Thompson designed the production's set. Henry Dazian (May 3, 1854-May 4, 1937) and D. Ascoli designed the production's costumes. All members of the production team had made their Met Opera debuts Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the opera house's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Mignon was staged as the first of two Ambroise Thomas operas offered in the first season's lineup. Hamlet, the season's second Thomas opera, opened Thursday, Feb. 21, 1884.

Mignon premiered as the fifth of the first season's 20 premieres. Verdi's La Traviata, which premiered Monday, Nov. 5, succeeded Mignon as the first season's sixth premiere.

The takeaways for Met Opera's premiere of Mignon are that the three-act opéra comique (comic opera) was staged as the fifth inaugural season (1883-1884) opera and as the first of two Ambroise Thomas operas presented in the first season's lineup of 20 premieres; and that the happy-ending opera received eight performances in the Met Opera inaugural season.

Sofia Scalchi, who made her Met Opera debut in the trouser role of Faust's , sang the trouser role of Frédéric in the Metropolitan Opera's fifth first season premiere, Mignon by 19th-century French composer Ambroise Thomas: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Oct. 22, 2015

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

Swedish operatic soprano Christine (Christina) Nilsson originated the role of Ambroise Thomas' Mignon at the Metropolitan Opera in the opera house's inaugural season (1883-1884) premiere: February 1874 stereocard portrait of Christine Nilsson by J. Gurney & Son, New York NY; Marian S. Carson Collection, Library of Congress (LOC) Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known restrictions on publication, via LOC Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC) @ https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2005687052/

Sofia Scalchi, who made her Met Opera debut in the trouser role of Faust's , sang the trouser role of Frédéric in the Metropolitan Opera's fifth first season premiere, Mignon by 19th-century French composer Ambroise Thomas: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Oct. 22, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10156268592180533/10156268592700533/

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: Cleofonte Campanini.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:1070 Mignon {2} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/3/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1070

"Debut: Giovanni Mirabella, Ida Corani." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1040 Metropolitan Opera Premiere I Puritani {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1040

"Debut: Roberto Stagno, Alwina Valleria, Zelia Trebelli." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1020 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Il Trovatore {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/26/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1020

"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. "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

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Sofia Scalchi as Siebel. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera Archives -- at The Metropolitan Opera." Facebook. Oct. 22, 2015.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10156268592180533/10156268592700533/

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Mignon.” 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

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