Met Opera Premiered Lucia di Lammermoor Oct. 24, 1883, in First Season

Summary: Met Opera premiered Lucia di Lammermoor Oct. 24, 1883, as the second opera in the company’s opening season.

High fashion house Worth of Paris designed Marcella Sembrich's costumes for her Met Opera debut role as Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Oct. 24, 2020

Met Opera premiered Lucia di Lammermoor Oct. 24, 1883, as the second opera in the New York City-based opera company’s opening season, 1883-1884.

The three-act dramma tragico (tragic opera) by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848) received 10 performances in the Met Opera's opening season. The Metropolitan Opera House was the venue for the premiere, Wednesday, Oct. 24, as well as for the second (Friday, Nov. 2), third (Monday, Dec. 3) and 10th, closing (Monday, April 7) performances. Lucia di Lammermoor's fourth performance, Thursday, Dec. 27, took place at the Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The opera's fifth performance was staged Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1884, at the Chestnut Street Opera House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The sixth performance, Tuesday, Jan. 22, took place at Haverly’s Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The seventh performance, Wednesday, Feb. 6, was staged at the Olympic Theater in St. Louis, Missouri. The eighth performance, Wednesday, Feb. 13, was given at the Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio. The ninth performance, Tuesday, Feb. 26, was offered at the National Theater in Washington, D.C.

The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) notes that a full performance of Les Huguenots by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sept. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864) originally had been scheduled for Monday, April 7. The illness of the opera's Valentine, Swedish operatic soprano Christine Nilsson (Aug. 20, 1843-Nov. 20, 1921), necessitated the staging of only the first act of Les Huguenots and the substitution of an abbreviated performance of Lucia di Lammermoor (Acts I and II).

Auguste Vianesi (Nov. 2, 1837-Nov. 4, 1908) conducted the Wednesday premiere of the three-act dramma tragico (tragic opera) by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). The Legnano, Italy-born, later French-naturalized conductor had made his Met Opera debut two days earlier, Monday, Oct. 22, in the opening season’s first opera, Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich (Feb. 15, 1858-Jan. 11, 1935) garnered her Met Opera debut in the title role. She appeared as the love-maddened heroine in all of the opening season’s 10 performances. The Polish coloratura soprano's appearance in the opera's premiere marked her Met Opera debut.

Italo Campanini (June 30, 1845-Nov. 14, 1896) appeared in the premiere as Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood in Donizetti’s Scotland-set, Romeo and Juliette-style tragedy. The Italian operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut two days earlier, Monday, Oct. 22, in the title role of the opera company’s first season opener, Gounod's Faust.

Italo Campanini sang in six of the season’s 10 performances. He shared the role of Edgardo with Victor Capoul and Roberto Stagno.

Victor Capoul (Feb. 27, 1839-Feb. 18, 1924) sang Edgardo in the season’s fifth performance, Tuesday, Jan. 15. The French operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut two and one-half months earlier, Saturday, Oct. 27, 1883, in the title role in the season's second performance of Faust.

Italian operatic tenor Roberto Stagno (Oct. 18, 1840-April 26, 1897) appeared as Edgardo in the season’s sixth (Tuesday, Jan. 22), seventh (Wednesday, Feb. 6) and ninth (Tuesday, Feb. 26) performances. Roberto Stagno had made his Met Opera debut Oct. 26, 1883, as Manrico in the season’s premiere of Il Trovatore by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Giuseppe Kaschmann (July 14, 1850-Feb. 11, 1925) appeared in the premiere as Lord Enrico Asthon, Lord of Lammermoor, Lucia’s scheming brother. The Croatian-Austrian operatic baritone’s appearance in the premiere marked his Met Opera debut. Giuseppe Kaschmann sang in six of the season’s 10 performances.

Giuseppe Kaschmann shared the role of Enrico with Giuseppe Del Puente. Giuseppe Del Puente (Jan. 30, 1841-May 25, 1900) sang Enrico in the season’s fourth (Thursday, Dec. 27), fifth (Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1884), sixth (Tuesday, Jan. 22) and closing night (Monday, April 7) performances. The Italian baritone and composer had made his Met Opera debut Oct. 22, 1883, as Valentin in the season premiere of Faust.

Achille Augier sang Raimondo, a chaplain who is Lucia's tutor, in all 10 performances. His premiere appearance marked his Met Opera debut.

The MetOpera Database credits Amadeo Grazzi and Imogene Forti as Normanno, Captain of the Guard, and Alisa, Lucia's companion, respectively, in the opera's first nine performances. The role singers are listed as "unknown" for the 10th, last performance, April 7.

Vincenzo Fornaris appeared in the premiere as Lord Arturo Bucklaw, Lucia’s husband, who does not survive their wedding night. The Italian tenor's premiere appearance marked his Met Opera debut. The MetOpera Database credits Vincenzo Fornaris with appearances in the season’s first nine performances of Lucia di Lammermoor. The singer of Arturo is listed as “unknown” for the closing night performance, April 7.

Mr. Corani and Mr. Abbiati are identified as the production’s directors. The MetOpera Database notes: “The credits for Corani and Abbiati did not appear in company programs until December 3, 1883.” Henry De Courtney Corani (ca. 1849-May 1905) was the company’s first stage director. The two directors made their Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the first season's first premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Charles Fox, Jr., William Schaeffer, Gaspar Maeder (ca. 1840-Jan. 18, 1892) and Mr. Thompson are credited as the production set designers. All four had made their Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the opening season's first premiere, Gounod's Faust.

The MetOpera Database notes that Worth of Paris designed Marcella Sembrich’s costumes. English fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth (Oct. 13, 1825-March 10, 1895) had opened the high fashion house in 1858 in Paris, northern France, at 7 rue de la Paix in the second arrondissement (2e arrondissement).

Except for Lucia’s costumes, Henry Dazian (May 3, 1854-May 4, 1937) and D. Ascoli are credited as the production’s costume designers. Dazian and Ascoli joined the production's directors and set designers in making their Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the opera house's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Il Trovatore, by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901), succeeded Lucia di Lammermoor as the third first season premiere. Il Trovatore premiered Friday, Oct. 26, 1883.

The takeaways for Met Opera’s premiere of Lucia di Lammermoor Oct. 24, 1883, are that Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti’s Scottish, feud-fueled tragedy was staged as the second opera in Met Opera’s opening season and introduced Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich as the opera company’s first Lucia.

Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich originated the Metropolitan Opera's role of Lucia in the company's opening season premiere of Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Oct. 24, 1883; House of Worth designed the costumes for the role: The Sembrich via Facebook March 25, 2015

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

High fashion house Worth of Paris designed Marcella Sembrich's costumes for her Met Opera debut role as Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Oct. 24, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3343501969048637/

Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich originated the Metropolitan Opera's role of Lucia in the company's opening season premiere of Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Oct. 24, 1883; House of Worth designed the costumes for the role: The Sembrich via Facebook March 25, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/814633401935519/?type=3&theater

For further information:

"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. “Lucia di Lammermoor Is April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 2, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/lucia-di-lammermoor-is-april-7-2018-met.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

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Faust.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1000 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Faust {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/22/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1000

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Il Trovatore.” 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

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Lucia di Lammermoor.” 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

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. "137 years ago TODAY, Mme. Sembrich made her American debut with the Met Opera as Lucia di Lammermoor in Donizetti's operatic masterpiece! She would go on to sing 466 performances with the company!" Facebook. Oct. 24, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3343501969048637/