(1) Austrian contralto Irene von Chavanne (1868-1938) as Carmen. She began her studies in Vienna with Johannes Ress. Later in Paris she studied with Désirée Artôt de Padilla, and then in Dresden with Souvestre. She made her debut (1885) at the Dresden Royal Opera and remained there during her entire career. She created the role of Herodias in the world premiere of Strauss's Salome (9 Dec 1905).

(2) Russian gypsy singer (mezzo-soprano) Anastasia Dimitriyevna Vyaltseva (1871-1913). She was quite famous throughout Russia mostly as an operetta diva with the Setov and Blumenthal-Tamarin Operetta Company in Kiev. Critics compared her voice to Lina Cavalieri's (which, perhaps, isn't saying much), but she lacked Cavalieri's drive to improve and achieve. The two were singing in Russia about the same time and Cavalieri was a considered a more favorable performer.