B.J. Falk's
New York studio was located at 949 Broadway.
Benjamin J. Falk was often involved in litigation regarding the
duplication of his photographic images into lithographic form. Two articles
involving such situations are below:
“Benjamin J.
Falk, the photographer, secured a verdict of $300 yesterday, in New York,
against the Springer Lithographing Company for distributing lithographs of
Lillian Russell, made from photos taken by him, which he had copyrighted
afterward. The judgment was given by Judge Lacombe in the United States district
court. The case is one of a number of suits brought by Mr. Falk against the
Springer company for using copyrighted photos of Rose Coghlan, Lillian Russell
and other prominent actresses and actors for lithographic purposes. Each of the
originals testified that they had given Mr. Falk no permission to copyright
their photos, and the case is important as showing that Mr. Falk had the right
to do so without permission.” ----January 01, 1893
[Against
Hellron & Phelps Lithographers] …”Judge Wheeler … handed up a verdict for $115
in favor of Benjamin J. Falk, the photographer, as damages for the infringement
of his copyright of a photograph of the popular actress [Lillian Russell]…. It
appeared in the evidence that Falk had photographed Miss Russell in a particular
pose in the character of 'Dorothy' as she appeared in Alfred Cellier’s comic
opera of that name. He copyrighted the photographic in November, 1887, and
complied with the law, which have him the exclusive right to publish that
particular photograph for twenty-eight years." ---- March 24, 1893
(1) Lilli
Lehmann (24 Nov 1848 - 17 May 1929): German soprano. Both of her parents
(August Lehmann and Marie Loewe) were singers. Debut Prague 1865, 1st Boy in
Zauberflöte. In first Bayreuth Ring Cycle singing Woglinde, Helmwige, and Woodbird.
One of the Rhinemaidens in the first London Ring. American debut (Metropolitan
Opera, 1885) as Carmen. First American Isolde and Götterdämmerung
Brünnhilde. After retiring from the stage she taught. Her pupils included
Geraldine Farrar and Olive Fremstad. Married tenor Paul Kalisch. Sister of
soprano Marie Lehmann.
(2) Lilli
Lehmann as Brunnhilde.
(3) Max Alvary [orig
Maximilian Achenbach] (3 May 1856 - 7 Nov 1898): German tenor, son of painter
Andreas Achenbach. Debut Weimar (1879) Alessandro Stradella. American debut
(1885) Metropolitan Opera as Don Jose opposite Lilli Lehmann also making her
American debut. First U.S. Loge, Siegfried, and Adolar. Sang in first Covent
Garden Ring under Mahler 1892. Forced to retire from the stage in 1897
due to illness.
(4) American (naturalized)
soprano Emma Juch (Vienna: 4 Jul 1863 - New York: 6 Mar 1939). Juch's
parents were Austrian and Emma was born while they were visiting America. She
made her debut (1881) at Her Majesty's in London as Philine (Mignon). Shortly
thereafter she appeared at the New York Academy of Music in the same role. She
was part of the National Opera Company. When it ran into difficulties she
reorganized the company into the Much Grand Opera Company, which toured
throughout the States, Canada, and Mexico. She was very much a champion of
singing opera in English.
(5)
Auguste-Charles-Leonard-Francois-Vianese (1937-1908). Vianese conducted
the first ever performance (Faust) at the Metropolitan Opera on October
22, 1883.
Mr. A. Vianesi, who resigns this
month the position of leader of the orchestra of the Paris Opera in order to
accept a similar position at New York, said recently to an Associated press
correspondent who met him in Paris: “I have already been in American, as you
know. I had the honor of conducting the opening performance of the
Metropolitan opera house in New York when Mesdames Nilssen [sic],
Sembrich and other stars sang, and I have also appeared in Boston,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, Baltimore, Cincinnati and St. Louis.
[Note: New Orleans as well.]
“The position I am on the point of
resigning has gained for me the decoration of the legion of honor and a place in
the history of the twenty-six orchestra leaders who have held the post since
1669, when the Paris Opera was founded. The thought of revisiting the United
States is very pleasant to me, for I cherish only the most agreeable
recollections of my sojourn there.
“Musical art has reached a high
degree of perfection in the United States. I know what American singers can do,
for I have them before me almost every night, and have had for years on the
stage of the Paris Opera. I do not hesitate to predict that the opera going
public of New York will enjoy some fine treats next season, especially as those
admirable artists, the brother Reszke, are to be members of the company."
---
14 Jun 1891
(6) Emma Nevada(Alpha, near Nevada
City, CA, 7 Feb 1859 -
Liverpool, 20 Jan 1940), American soprano and
mother of Mignon Nevada. Nevada was a pupil of
Marchesi. She made her opera début (1880) at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, in
La sonnambula, an opera for which was she particularly known. After
performing in Italy and Paris she returned to the United States in 1884 to
perform at the New York Academy of Music. After returning to
England she sang in the first performance of
Mackenzie’s Rose of Sharon (1884), The soprano role was written for
her. She performed often in concerts and a noted feature of them were her many
changes of dress, culminating in the appearance of her wedding dress [she was
married to Dr. Raymond Palmer]. The wedding dress was often spoken of in news
reports…
“It was announced that the soprano would wear her famous white velvet
bridal dress at the concert. She wore a white dress, but whether it was velvet
or not will always remain a mystery so far as I am concerned. When the tenor
stepped on it accidentally, however, I noticed that he left the imprint of his
heel on it plainly.”
This is an uncommon winter scene with Nevada forming a
snowball.
(7) Emma Nevada.
Mme Nevada, who is a daughter of Dr. William Wallace
Wixom, has had an eventful career. She was born in Austen, Nev., in 1862, and
sang in public when she was only three years old. She was one of a party of
young girls who went abroad under the care of Dr. Eberl to study music in
Berlin. When the vessel on which they took passage anchored in the Elbe a
small steamer came alongside to transfer the passengers to the shore. Dr.
Eberl walked on board with the rest, but died as he entered the cabin. It was
a great calamity for the party under his care. Miss Wixom, however, succeeded
in reaching Berlin, and on her arrival there was recommended to go to Vienna
to study with Mme. Marchesi. In 1880, through Marchesi’s influence, Miss
Wixom, or Emma Nevada, as she then called herself, followed a custom of
assuming the name of her native place, obtained an engagement at Covent Garden
and made her debut as Amina in “La Sonnambula” on May 17. She did not reappear
that season, her voice being considered too light, but three years later in
Italy and afterward in Paris, she met with considerable success. For the past
twelve years Mme. Nevada has made her permanent home in Paris. New
York Times, 10 Sep 1899.
(8) Italian conductor and
violinist Cleofonte Campanini (Parma: 1 Sep 1860 - Chicago: 19 Dec
1919). Brother of Italo Campanini. He conducted at the Metropolitan Opera
during its inaugural season (1883-1884) and then returned to Italy, where he
conducted the premières of Flora mirabilis by Samaras (1886),
Adriana Lecouvreur (1902), Giordano’s Siberia (1903), and Madama
Butterfly (1904) in Milan. He traveled extensively and in 1906 took the
podium at the Manhattan Opera until 1909. After that he joined the Chicago
Opera where he was the General Director.
(9) Emma Eames:
American (born in Shanghai) soprano (13 Aug 1865 - 13 Jun 1952): Debut Paris
1889 (Juliette, chosen by Gounod). Created Colombe (Ascanio), title
role in De la Nux's Zaire.
(10) Emma Eames as the
Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro.
(11) Composer/Conductor
Leopold Damrosch (Posen, Prussia: 22 Oct 1832 – NY: 15 Feb 1885). He
graduated from the University of Berlin with a medical degree but always had
an interest in music. He studied the violin from an early age and his success
with that instrument was evident in his many appearances throughout Germany.
He was appointed, by Liszt, solo violinist in the Ducal orchestra in Weimar.
Damrosch first appeared as a conductor in Breslau (1859). He founded a
well-received symphonic society in Breslau in 1962. In 1871 Damrosch traveled
to New York and was seen at Steinway Hall as a conductor, violinist, and
composer. While there he founded an Oratorio Society (1873) and the New York
Symphony Society (1878). He was responsible for bringing the finest German
singers and musicians to the Metropolitan Opera and New York in 1884 to
introduce American audiences to the great works of Wagner and Brahms.
(12) [Dame] Nellie Melba
[orig. Helen Mitchell]: Australian soprano (19 May 1861 - 23 Feb 1931).
Studied with Marchesi. Debut (1887) at the Brussels Opera as Gilda (Rigoletto).
Created title role in Hélène at Monte Carlo. Appearances at Covent
Garden, La Scala, The Met, Paris Opéra, Chicago. Seen here as Manon.
(13) Annie Louise Cary (22
Oct 1841 - 3 Apr 1921): American mezzo. Debut Copenhagen 1868, Azucena.
Stockholm, Hamburg, St. Petersburg, London (as Louise Cari). Sang Amneris in
first USA Aida. Also the first American-born woman to sing a Wagner role
(Ortrud: 1877). Serious vocal trouble resulted in her retirement in 1881.
"The
members of the Pittsburg Cremation Society who offered Mrs. Raymond (Annie
Louise Cary) free cremation, if she would sing for the benefit of their
Cremation Fund, have not yet denied the queer story. Mrs. Raymond declined upon
the ground that she could put no heart into a song upon such an occasion."
---- 7 Nov 1886.
(14) Marianne Brandt [nee,
Marie Bischoff] (Vienna: 12 Sep 1842 - Vienna: 9 Jul 1921), Austrian
mezzo-soprano. She studied with Viardot and Marschner. She made her debut in
Olomouc (1867). She appeared in Bayreuth and London before arriving in New York
to appear at the Metropolitan Opera from 1884-1888. After 1880 she went back to
her town of birth and became a singing instructor.
(15) Francesco Tamagno
(Turin: 28 Dec 1850 - Varese: 31 Aug 1905). Italian tenor. Creator of Verdi's
Otello (La Scala: 1887).
The event
of the week was the appearance of Tamagno at the Metropolitan Opera House. In
the small talk of the town Patti's reappearance was secondary in importance to
the debut here of the famous Italian tenor .... Tamagno's Othello is worth
consideration entirely apart from his singing. He presented a picture of the
savage, jealous, infuriated and wholly uncontrollable Moor, which was far in
advance, artistically, of that of Salvini .... Tamagno's voice is of the pure,
though slightly nasal, tenor, and it seems to be fully as powerful in the upper
as in the lower register. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 30 Mar
1890.
