Martha Opened Jan. 4, 1884, as 15th Opera in Met Opera’s First Season

Summary: Martha opened Jan. 4, 1884, as the 15th opera in Met Opera's first season, 1883-1884.

Marcella Sembrich sang the title role of Lady Harriet/Martha in the last four of six performances of Friedrich von Flotow's Martha offered in the Metropolitan Opera's inaugural season, 1883-1884; The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook, June 8, 2020

Martha premiered Jan. 4, 1884, as the 15th opera in Met Opera's opening season, 1883-1884.

The four-act opera lirica (lyric opera) by German composer Friedrich von Flotow (April 27, 1812-Jan. 24, 1883) received six performances, sung in Italian, during Met Opera's first season. Martha premiered Friday, Jan. 4, 1884, at the Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The second performance was held Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Chestnut Street Opera House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The third performance, Saturday, Feb. 2, took place at Haverly's Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The fourth performance took place Saturday, Feb. 23, the Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio. The fifth performance, Friday, March 14, and the sixth, closing performance, Saturday, March 22, were offered at the Metropolitan Opera House.

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

Maestro Vianesi shared the conductor's podium with Cleofonte Campanini (Sept. 1, 1860-Dec. 19, 1919). The Italian conductor appeared in Martha's second performance, Saturday, Jan. 19. Maestro Campanini had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 3, 1883, in the second performance of the opening season's fifth opera, Mignon by French composer Ambroise Thomas (Aug. 5, 1811-Feb. 12, 1896).

Alwina Valleria (Oct. 12, 1848-Feb. 17, 1925) sang the title role of Lady Harriet, who masquerades as Martha, a maidservant-for-hire, in the premiere and the second performance. She had made her Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 26, 1883, as Leonora in the first season's third premiere, Il Trovatore by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Alwina Valleria shared the title role with Marcella Sembrich (Feb. 15, 1858-Jan. 11, 1935), who sang Martha for the season's last four 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).

Roberto Stagno (Oct. 18, 1840-April 26, 1897) sang in the premiere opposite Alwina Valleria as Lionel, a farmer who turns out to be a nobleman's son. The Italian operatic tenor also sang Lionel for the second (Jan. 19), fourth (Feb. 23) and fifth (March 14) performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 26, 1883, in the title role, Manrico, in the first season's third premiere, Verdi's Il Trovatore.

Roberto Stagno shared the role of Lionel with Italo Campanini (June 30, 1845-Nov. 14, 1896). The Italian operatic tenor was the older brother of conductor Cleofonte Campanini. Italo Campanini sang Lionel for the season's third (Feb. 2) and closing (March 22) performances of Martha. Italo Campanini had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the title role in the opening season's opening premiere, Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Sofia Scalchi (Nov. 29, 1850-Aug. 22, 1922) sang, opposite young farmer Plunkett, as Nancy, Lady Harriet's maid, in the premiere and again in the season's fourth (Feb. 23) performance of Martha. 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 inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Sofia Scalchi shared the role with Emily Lablache and Zelia Trebelli. Emilie Deméric-Lablache (Oct. 6, 1830-?), credited as Emily Lablache, appeared as Nancy in the season's second performance (Jan. 19) of Martha. The French mezzo-soprano-contralto had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 5, 1883, as Flora in the first season's sixth premiere, Verdi's La Traviata.

Zelia Trebelli (Nov. 12, 1836-Aug. 18, 1892) sang Nancy in the season's third (Feb. 2), fourth (Feb. 23) and fifth (March 14) performances of Martha. The French operatic mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Oct. 26, 1883, as Azucena in the opening season's third premiere, Verdi's Il Trovatore.

Giuseppe Del Puente (Jan. 30, 1841-May 25, 1900) appeared in the premiere as Plunkett, the younger farmer whose family had adopted banished nobleman's son Lionel. The Italian baritone and composer sang Plunkett in the season's third (Feb. 2) and fourth (Feb. 23) performances of Martha. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Valentin in the opening season's opening premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Giuseppe Del Puente shared the role of Plunkett with Achille Augier and Franco Novara (1859-Jan. 7, 1899). Achille Augier appeared as Plunkett in the season's second (Jan. 19) performance of Martha. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Raimondo in the opening season's second premiere of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

English bass Francis Naish, whose stage name was Franco Novara, sang Plunkett in the season's fifth (March 14) and closing (March 22) performances of Martha. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust, the opening season's inaugural premiere.

Baldassare Corsini sang the bass role of Sir Tristan, Lady Harriet's cousin, in all six of the season's performances of Martha. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1883, as Laërte in the first season's fifth premiere, Mignon by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sept. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864).

Mr. Corani and Mr. Abbiati headed the opera's production team. Martha's directors, costume designers and set designers had all made their Met Opera debuts Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, in the opening season's inaugural premiere, Gounod's Faust.

The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) indicates that the singers of the roles of Sheriff, Maid, Servant and Innkeeper were "unknown" for the premiere, third, fourth and fifth performances. The role singers were identified for the second (Jan. 19) and sixth (March 22) performances.

Ludovico Contini appeared as the Sheriff in both the second and sixth performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 22, 1883, as Wagner in the inaugural season's first premiere, Gounod's Faust.

Imogene Forti sang as the Maid in both the second and sixth 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.

Giuseppe Barberis appeared as the Servant in both the second and sixth performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 5, as Giuseppe in the inaugural season's sixth premiere, Verdi's La Traviata.

Amadeo Grazzi sang as the Innkeeper in both the second and sixth performances. He had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1883, as Normanno in the inaugural season's second premiere, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

The production's costume designers were D. Ascoli and Henry Dazian, according to the MetOpera database. New York-born Henry Dazian (May 3, 1854-May 4, 1937) was a partner in Dazian’s. The theatrical goods and costumers’ supply emporium was founded in 1842 by Henry’s father, Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany-born Wolf Dazian (1818-Jan. 10, 1902).

Martha was staged as the 15th opera in the lineup of 20 operas in the Metropolitan Opera's first season 1883-1884. Carmen, by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875), succeeded Martha as the 16th premiere in Met Opera's opening season.

The takeaway for Met Opera's premiere of Martha is that the romantic comedy was staged as the 15th opera in Met Opera's first season, 1883-1884, and as the first season's only opera by 19th-century German composer Friedrich von Flotow.

American soprano Alwina Valleria originated the role of Lady Harriet / Martha at the Metropolitan Opera in the opera house's first season premiere of Martha by French composer Ambroise Thomas; portrait of Alwina Valleria in The Marie Burroughs Art Portfolio of Stage Celebrities (1894): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

Marcella Sembrich sang the title role of Lady Harriet/Martha in the last four of six performances of Friedrich von Flotow's Martha offered in the Metropolitan Opera's inaugural season, 1883-1884; The Sembrich @TheSembrich, via Facebook, June 8, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/2950433248355513/

American soprano Alwina Valleria originated the role of Lady Harriet / Martha at the Metropolitan Opera in the opera house's first season premiere of Martha by French composer Ambroise Thomas; portrait of Alwina Valleria in The Marie Burroughs Art Portfolio of Stage Celebrities (1894): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alwina_Valleria,_operatic_soprano.jpg; via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/marieburroughsar00chic/page/n263/mode/1up

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: 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

"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

The Marie Burroughs Art Portfolio of Stage Celebrities. A Collection of Photographs of the Leaders of Dramatic and Lyric Art. Chicago : A.N. Marquis & Company, 1894.
Available via HathiTrust @ https://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101073370700
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/marieburroughsar00chic/

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: Martha.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1540 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Martha {1} Boston Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts: 01/4/1884.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1540

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. "Mme. Sembrich appeared in this costume as Lady Hariet in Flotow's "Martha" twenty times with the #MetOpera. In her final performance she sang alongside fellow (future) #LakeGeorge resident Louise Homer. #TheSembrich #BoltonLanding #Music #History #Opera #OperaSingersOfInstagram." Facebook. June 8, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheSembrich/photos/a.481908958541300/2950433248355513/