(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), and the 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.