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As Brunhilde in "Die Walkure" by Wagner Edyth Walker March 27, 1867 – February 19, 1950 American Mezzo later Soprano She entered and won a singing competition which provided her with a scholarship that enabled her to study singing in Europe. She arrived in Dresden, Germany, in 1891 where she became a pupil of Aglaia Orgeni. She later studied singing with Marianne Brandt in Vienna. Professional debut as a concert singer at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig in 1892. Opera debut on 11 November 1894 at the Berlin State Opera as Fidès in Giacomo Meyerbeer's Le prophète. The following year she became a member of the Vienna State Opera where she was a leading mezzo-soprano with the company for eight seasons] She notably sang the role of Magdalena in the Vienna premiere of Wilhelm Kienzl's Der Evangelimann in 1896. She was also much admired in Vienna for her interpretation of the role of Amneris in Giuseppe Verdi's Aida. While under contract in Vienna,she made guest appearances with other European theatres. She made her first appearance in the UK at the Royal Opera House in London, singing the role of Amneris on 16 May 1900. She sang several more roles at Covent Garden in 1900-1901, all of them from the Wagnerian repertoire, including Erda in Siegfried, Fricka in both Die Walküre and Das Rheingold, Ortrud in Lohengrin, and Waltraute in Götterdämmerung In 1901 she portrayed the role of Elvira in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival At the close of the 1902-03 season, she left her position in Vienna abruptly after a dispute with Gustav Mahler. Having broken her contract with the influential Vienna opera house, she found it impossible to gain a permanent position with another German or Austrian theatre under such circumstances She therefore returned to the United States and signed a contract with the Metropolitan Opera of New York City. She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House on November 30, 1903 as Amneris to the Aida of Johanna Gadski and the Radamès of Enrico Caruso. She sang at the Met for three seasons, notably appearing in the Met's first stagings of Gaetano Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia(as Maffio Orsini) and Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus (as Prince Orlofsky). She portrayed mainly mezzo-soprano parts at the Met like Brangäne in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Erda, Fricka, La Cieca in Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda, Leonora in La favorita, Nancy in Martha, Ortrud, Siebel in Charles Gounod's Faust, Urbain in Les Huguenots, and Waltraute. Her final and 108th performance with the Metropolitan Opera was in the title role of Karl Goldmark's Die Königin von Saba for an out of town engagement in San Francisco on April 16, 1906. While on contract with the Met, Walker began adding soprano roles to her repertoire, beginning with Brünnhilde in Die Walküre which she first performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in December 1905. That was the only soprano role she sang on the Met Stage However, after leaving the Met in 1906 to return to Europe, she added more soprano roles to her stage credits. Walker had already been performing periodically as a guest artist with the Hamburg State Opera (HSO) since 1903, and upon her return to Europe she signed a contract with that company. She remained with the HSO through 1912 performing both mezzo and soprano roles. Among the soprano parts she performed there were Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, Kundry in Parsifal, and the title role in Salome In 1908 Walker sang the roles of Ortrud and Kundry at the Bayreuth Festival. That same year she had a major triumph as Isolde at Covent Garden.[1] She returned to the Royal Opera House in 1910 to portray the title role in the critically acclaimed UK premiere of Richard Strauss' Elektra under the baton of Sir Thomas Beecham,and to sing the part of Thirza in Ethel Smyth's The Wreckers. From 1912-1917 she sang annually at the Munich Festivals with the Bavarian State Opera.[1] She made appearances as a guest artist at the Cologne Opera, La Monnaie and the Prague State Opera, among others. Her final performances were singing various roles in Wagner's The Ring Cycle at Elberfeld in 1918 After her retirement from the stage, Walker resided in Scheveningen, Holland until 1919 when she moved to Paris. She worked there as a voice teacher where she taught out of a private studio. In 1933 she joined the faculty at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau where she taught through 1936. She then moved back to New York City where she continued to teach until her death

Inscription reads My dear Aunt Frl Schmalfred a Souvineur M Vahsel

Margarete von Vahsel , (Margarete Vahsel-Schmalfeld ) 30 September 1866 - 1922 German soprano Discovered at the age of 11 by Franz Abt , who advised her to continue her education. After resistance from her parents , she went to Hamburg to pursue her studies for three years. In 1882 at the age of fifteen she began to appear publicly in Magdeburg , By 1882 she was a Soubrette on the Magdeburger stage. After a year's work, She was engaged at the court theater in Dessau from 1883-1894.And from 1894-1895 she was at the Opera House Leipzig.In 1895-1901 she decided to do concert tours throughout the world, even to Australia, New Zealand, India and Canada, as well as America, where she had taken permanent residence in New York , she returned to Germany in 1901 and settled in Berlin as a singing teacher at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory. She was married to the German Tenor Rudolf Schmalfeld (1858-1922) Her roles included Susanna in "The Marriage of Figaro" , Marie in "La Fille de regiment" . Camen in "Carmen" , Marguerite in "Faust" and Santuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana

Juliette BILBAUT-VAUCHELET (Juliette Maria Angélique BILBAUT ) 26 September 1855 - 1 February 1925 French Soprano Studied at the School of Music of Douai, first the violin, then voice and continued her studies at the Paris Consevatiore. Debut 25 December , 1877 at Opera Comique as Isabelle in the “Le Pre-aux-Clercs” by Herold ,Her roles at the Opera Comique included Cherubino in “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart ; Queen of the Night and Pamina in “The Magic Flute” by Mozart; ; Micaela in Carmen by Bizet; Benjamin in “Joseph”by d’Etienne Méhul. Prascovia in L’Etoile du Nord by Meyerbeer; Athenaeus)in “les Mousquetaires de la Reine” by Halevy ; Catarina “les Diamants de la Couronne” by Auber At the Opera Comique she created the following roles: 30 December 1878 Suzanne in “Suzanne” byf Emile Paladilhe; 8 March 1880 Arlette in “Jean de Nivelle”by Léo Delibes ; 31 December, 1881 Henri Fideline in “ la Taverne des Trabans” by d'Henri Maréchal ; 23 March, 1882 Armande in “Galante adventure”by Ernest Guiraud.

Giovanni Zucchini (1812-1891); Italian bass-baritone. In his hometown Bologna he studied singing with Britti and in 1832 he made his debut in Modena. In 1838 he sang successfully in Venice and then in Bologna and in Genua. In 1848 he made guest appearances at the Teatro San Carlos at Lisbon. From 1855 until 1865 he was the "first buffo-singer" at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris. In 1863 at the Teatro Municipale Piacenza he sang at the première of Ponchielli's opera "Roderico Re dei Goti". From 1868/71 he made guest appearances at St.Petersburg and Warsaw and during the season 1875/76 at the Wiener Hofoper. In 1877 at La Scala Milan he performed the role of Bartolo in a legendary performance of Rossini 's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia", in which Giovanni Zucchini, Adelina Patti, Ernesto Nicolini and Leone Giraldoni enthralled the Scala audience. After he retired from the stage he worked as a vocal teacher in Bologna. Information thanks to Bialystok-Stavenuiter

Emile Adolphe Brulfert 17 Feb 1867 - Oct 1926 Tenor sang at concerts 1903-1910 at Paris Conservatore also at the Paris Opera 1921-1926 roles sang there included Cenobite in "Thais" 1921 , Chevalier "Pasifal" 1924 , L'abbe "Herto" 1924

MARIE MARIMON 1835-1923 French Soprano Studied with Gilbert Duprez in Paris.Made her début 1857 at the Lyrique as Helene on the production of Semet's 'Demoiselle d'Honneur .At the Opéra Comique Maïma in Offenbach's unsuccessful 'Barkouf,' 1860.At Drury Lane in Italian in 1871–72, and at Covent Garden in the autumn of the first year, Amina, wherein she made her début May 4, 1871, Maria ('La Figlia') ,Retired from the stage in 1884

Jean-Baptiste Faure as Hamlet "Hamletl" Thomas a role he performed in the Premiere at Palais Garnier,9 March 1865 JEAN-BAPTISTE FAURE (15 January 1830 – 9 November 1914)French operatic baritone Faure was born in Moulins. A choirboy in his youth, he entered the Paris Conservatory in 1851 and made his operatic debut the following year at the Opéra-Comique, as Pygmalion in Victor Massé's Galathée. He remained at the Opéra-Comique for over seven years, singing baritone roles such as Max in Adolphe Adam's Le chalet and Michel in Thomas's Le caïd. During this time he also created the Marquis d'Erigny in Auber's Manon Lescaut (1856) and Hoël in Meyerbeer's Le pardon de Ploërmel (1859; later known as Dinorah), among seven premieres at that house. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House, London, in 1860 as Hoël, and at the Paris Opera in 1861. He would sing at the Opera every season until 1869 and then again in 1872-76 and 1878. In addition, he continued to perform off and on in London until 1877 at venues such as Her Majesty's Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Among the many operas in which he appeared in Paris were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni as well as L'étoile du nord, Les Huguenots and La favorite. He also made history by creating several important operatic roles written by such prominent composers as Giacomo Meyerbeer, Giuseppe Verdi and Ambroise Thomas. They included the leading baritone parts in L'Africaine, Don Carlos and Hamlet (in 1865, 1867, and 1868 respectively). His last stage appearances are recorded as taking place in Marseilles and Vichy in 1886.

Enrico Augusto Delle Sedie 17 June 1822 – 28 November 1907 Italian baritone. Studied with Cesario Galeffi.Debut in 1851 as Nabucco in "Nabucco" by Verdi . He performed in all the important theatres of Italy and from 1861 till 1874 he was associated with the Théâtre-Italien in Paris.After retiring from the stage, he taught at the Paris Conservatory from 1876 to 1886 and later privately. The renowned lyric tenor Alessandro Bonci was one of his pupils

ALEXANDRE NARASSE MARIA GOURDIN 6 July 1842-28 July 1865 French baritone Debut Opera Comique Paris 1860 . Sang in the premieres of many opera's at Comique Paris. In 1861 he sang Claude in "Maitre Claude" by Cohen , 'Les Rises de M de Malesherbes " by Beer , 'Les Recruiters" by Lefebure-Wely , 'Aus travers dy mur" by Joseph , "Royal Cravate" by Massa . In 1862 he sang Baskir in "Lalla Roukh" by David , In 1863 'La deesse et le Berger" by Duprato . In 1864 'Lara" by Maillart . In 1865 'Le Sapher" by Carre . He died at the young age of 23.

Enrico Augusto Delle Sedie 17 June 1822 – 28 November 1907 Italian baritone. Studied with Cesario Galeffi.Debut in 1851 as Nabucco in "Nabucco" by Verdi . He performed in all the important theatres of Italy and from 1861 till 1874 he was associated with the Théâtre-Italien in Paris.After retiring from the stage, he taught at the Paris Conservatory from 1876 to 1886 and later privately. The renowned lyric tenor Alessandro Bonci was one of his pupils

Enrico Augusto Delle Sedie 17 June 1822 – 28 November 1907 Italian baritone. Studied with Cesario Galeffi.Debut in 1851 as Nabucco in "Nabucco" by Verdi . He performed in all the important theatres of Italy and from 1861 till 1874 he was associated with the Théâtre-Italien in Paris.After retiring from the stage, he taught at the Paris Conservatory from 1876 to 1886 and later privately. The renowned lyric tenor Alessandro Bonci was one of his pupils

ERNESTO NICCOLINI (Ernest Nicolas ) (February 23, 1834 - January 19, 1898) French Tenor Born in Saint Malo, France, he studied at the Paris Conservatory and made his debut in 1857, at the Opéra-Comique in Halevy's Les mousquetaires de la reine. After further study in Italy, he made his debut at La Scala in Milan in 1859, under the name Ernesto Nicolini, as Alfredo in La traviata, other roles there included Rodrigo in Rossini's Otello, and Elvino in Bellini's La sonnambula. On his return to France he sang at the Théâtre-Italien from 1862 until 1869. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London in 1866, as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, without great success due to the pronounced vibrato that marred his singing. Five years later he returned to London to sing in Faust and Robert le diable at Drury Lane, and from 1872 appeared every season at the Royal Opera House until 1884; his roles there included Pery in Il Guarany, Radames in Aida, and the title role in Lohengrin. He created the role of Celio at the premiere of Charles Lenepveu's Velléda in 1882. During the season 1874-75, he appeared in St Petersburg and Moscow, opposite the world-famous soprano Adelina Patti, whom he would partner in almost all her appearances thereafter, accompanying her on concert tours of the major western European capitals (Vienna, Milan, Venice, Brussels, Berlin and so on), as well on tours of the United States and South America. While together in Paris in 1886, singing in Faust at the Grand Opéra, the two created something of a scandal by getting married; Patti had divorced her first husband, the Marquis de Caux, shortly before her wedding to Nicolini. Nicolini appeared on stage for the last time at Drury Lane in 1897, as Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia. He died the following year in Pau, France.

as Aida in "Aida" by Verdi Sara Anderson American Soprano Toured Australia with The Royal Grand Opera Company

Barbara Kemp 1881-1959 German Soprano Studied at the Strasbourg Conservatory. Debut in Strasbourg in 1903 in the role of the priestess in "Aida".Continued singing roles at local theaters and by 1913 was employed at the Berlin Hofoper. Sang Senta at the Bayreuth Festival in 1914 Vienna State Opera from 1924-27. Metropolitan Opera from 1922–24, making her debut in the leading role in her husband's opera Mona Lisa.Retired from the stage in 1932, and afterward worked as a singing teacher and director at the Berlin State Opera,

Charles Gilibert 1866-1910 French Baritone Studied at Conservatoire de Paris and debut in 1888 at the Paris Opéra-Comique. Performed at the Covent Garden Opera between 1894 and 1909 , where he participated in the premiere of Jules Massenet's "La Navarraise" in 1894 . From 1900 to 1903 he was engaged at the Metropolitan Opera and sang, among others, the Schaunard in La Bohème (1900) and the sacristan in Tosca of Puccini . From 1906 until his sudden death in 1910 he was engaged at the Manhattan Opera House .

Edmund Clement 1867-1928 Tenor Lucien Fugure 1848-1935 Baritone Leon Beyle 1871-1922 Tenor Aline Vallandri 1879-1952 Soprano Albert Salignac 1867-1915 Tenor Alice Raveau 1887-1945 Mezzo Marguerite Carre 1880-1947 Soprano Hector Dufrane 1870-1951 Baritone Marthe Chenal 1881-1947 Soprano Marguerite Merentie 1879-???? Soprano Regina Badet-1876-1949 Dancer

Premiere Cast of "Zaza" by Leoncavallo 10 November 1900 at Milan Edoardo Garbin 1865-1943 Tenor (Milo), Rosina Storchio 1872-1945 Soprano (Zaza) Ruggero Leoncavallo 1857-1919 Composer Clorinda Pini-Corsi 1858-1921 Mezzo (Anaide) Mario Sammarco 1868-1939 Baritone (Cascart)