Marie van Zandt by Benque (1)

Marie van Zandt (1858-1919); American soprano who created the role of Lakmé at the première of Delibes’ eponymous opera. She received her first singing lessons from her mother,the soprano Jenny van Zandt. After coming to Europe she continued her singing studies with Francesco Lamperti in Milan. In 1879 she made her debut at Turin as Zerline in “Don Giovanni”. From 1880/85 she was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where in 1883 she created the role of Lakmé. The composer Delibes had composed this role of Lakmé especially for her voice. In 1885 she sang in London at the English première of Lakmé at the Gaiety Theatre. During her career she made very successful guest appearances; at The Imperial Opera of St. Petersburg and of Moscow (1888), at Covent Garden London (1889), at theTeatro San Carlos Lisbon (1887 and 1889), at the Budapest Opera (1889), at Brussels and Copenhagen (1896) and at the Monte Carlo Opera (1897). In the season 1891/92 she was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera New York. In 1898 she retired from the stage after her marriage with the Russian Count Micha de Tcherinoff.

On the photo she is seen in her creator role of Lakmé in the eponymous opera by Delibes.