Met Opera Opened Eighth First Season Opera La Sonnambula Nov. 14, 1883

Summary: Met Opera opened eighth first season opera La Sonnambula Wednesday, Nov. 14, 1883, as the season's second Bellini opera.

19th-century Italian operatic tenor Italo Campanini originated the role of Bellini's Elvino at the Metropolitan Opera with his performance in the opera season's eighth premiere; ca. 1880 photograph of Italo Campanini: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Met Opera opened La Sonnambula Wednesday, Nov. 14, 1883, as the eighth first season opera and as the season's second Bellini opera.

The opera semiseria in due atti (semi-serious opera in two acts) by 19th century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835) received five performances, sung in Italian, in the Metropolitan Opera's firt season, 1883-1884. La Sonnambula's Wednesday, Nov. 14, premiere and second performance, Monday, Dec. 17, were held at the Metropolitan Opera House. The third performance, Saturday, Dec. 29, was offered at the Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The fourth performance, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 1884, took place at Haverly's Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The fifth, closing performance, Monday, Feb. 18, was given at the Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Cleofonte Campanini (Sept. 1, 1860-Dec. 19, 1919) conducted all five performances of the bel canto (beautiful singing) opera in Met Opera's first season. The Italian conductor had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 3, 1883, in the second performance of the first season's fifth opera, Mignon by French composer Ambroise Thomas (Aug. 5, 1811-Feb. 12, 1896).

Marcella Sembrich (Feb. 15, 1858-Jan. 11, 1935) appeared in all five performances in the title role of Amina, whose sleepwalking causes her wedding first to be called off and then to take place. The Polish coloratura soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, in the title role in the first season's second premiere, Lucia di Lammermoor by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

Italo Campanini (June 30, 1845-Nov. 14, 1896) appeared in all five performances as Elvino, engaged to Amina, then disengaged because he falsely believes she has been unfaithful and finally re-engaged. The Italian operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the title role in the opening season's inaugural premiere, Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Franco Novara (1859-Jan. 7, 1899) appeared in all five performances as Count Rodolfo, who returns to the village after a long absence and who attests to Amina's innocence. English bass Francis Naish, whose stage name was Franco Novara, had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Méphistophélès in the season's opening premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Ida Corani appeared in the first four performances as Lisa, proprietess of the village inn and Elvino's former fiancée. Ida Corani had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 29, as Enrichetta in the first season's fourth premiere, Bellini's I Puritani.

Ida Corani shared the role with Miss Barabino, who sang Lisa in the season's fifth, closing performance, Monday, Feb. 18. Miss Barabino's performance as Lisa marked her Met Opera debut and her only Met Opera appearance.

Emilie Deméric-Lablache (Oct. 6, 1830-?), credited as Emily Lablache, appeared as Teresa, village mill owner and Amina's foster mother, in the season's first two and last two performances of La Sonnambula. The French mezzo-soprano-contralto had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 5, as Flora in the opening season's sixth premiere, La Traviata by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Emily Lablache shared the role with Imogene Forti, who sang Teresa in the season's third performance, Saturday, Dec. 29. Imogene Forti had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Alisa in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Baldassare Corsini appeared as Alessio, who unsuccessfully courts Lisa, in the season's first four 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).

Baldassare Corsini shared the role of lovelorn Alessio with Ludovico Contini, who sang in the season's fifth, closing performance, Monday, Feb. 18. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Wagner in the season's opening premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Amadeo Grazzi appeared as the Notary in all five performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Normanno in the season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

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

La Sonnambula numbered as the second of two Bellini operas offered in Met Opera's first season. The first Bellini opera, I Puritani, had premiered Monday, Oct. 29, 1883, as the fourth opera in the Metropolitan Opera's inaugural season lineup of 20 operas.

Rigoletto, by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901), succeeded La Sonnambula as the ninth first season premiere. Rigoletto premiered Friday, Nov. 16, 1883.

The takeaways for Met Opera's premiere of La Sonnambula are that the opera semiseria in due atti (semi-serious opera in two acts) was staged as the eighth opera in Met Opera's inaugural season, 1883-1884; that the bel canto (beautiful singing) opera received five performances; and that La Sonnambula occurred as the second of two Bellini operas staged in the opera house's opening season.

Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich originated Bellini's sleepwalking Amina in the opera house's inaugural season, 1883-1884; 1879 painting of Marcella Sembrich: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Sept. 3, 2020

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

19th-century Italian operatic tenor Italo Campanini originated the role of Bellini's Elvino at the Metropolitan Opera with his performance in the opera season's eighth premiere; ca. 1880 photograph of Italo Campanini: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Campanini_Italo.jpg

Polish coloratura soprano Marcella Sembrich originated Bellini's sleepwalking Amina in the opera house's inaugural season, 1883-1884; 1879 painting of Marcella Sembrich: The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook Sept. 3, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3192969657435203/

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: 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: 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

"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. "Met Opera Opened I Puritani Oct. 29, 1883, as Fourth First Season Opera." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/10/met-opera-opened-i-puritani-oct-29-1883.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 La Sonnambula." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1140 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Sonnambula {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/14/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1140

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. "Bolton Landing, NY -- at Bolton Landing, Lake George, NY." Facebook. Sept. 3, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/3192969657435203/