Signor Puccini Finds “The Mimi”
Giacomo Puccini (ca. 1907)
Unknown Photographer. From The Sembrich Collection. Click to enlarge
In the winter of 1907, the New York art world eagerly awaited the arrival of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). The composer’s arrival brought with it the anticipation of two new premieres at The Metropolitan Opera — Manon Lescaut and Madama Butterfly — in addition to productions of the already popular Tosca and La bohème. The Met spared no expense to bring the composer to America, beginning his eight-week visit in a luxury cabin aboard the cruise liner Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.
Initially, Puccini was to oversee the final rehearsals of Manon Lescaut, but rough seas delayed his arrival at the port in Hoboken, NJ until the production’s opening night. He made it to the opera house in time to see Act II of the opera’s American premiere on January 18, 1907. The cast featured tenor Enrico Caruso, soprano Lina Cavalieri, and baritone Antonio Scotti in the leading roles. Over the next few days, Puccini was afforded time to experience New York with Caruso who acted as his translator and guide. During his visit, the composer was able to attend one of the most controversial Met Opera premieres — Strauss’ Salome, starring Olive Fremstead. A recital preceding this contentious performance featured Marcella Sembrich and is likely the first time Puccini heard the voice of the Polish Nightingale. His late arrival and presence at this notorious event were only two of the many operatic triumphs and travails during his extended stay in New York.
Following the successful opening of Manon Lescaut Puccini was to attend the upcoming performances of Tosca, starring Emma Eames, and La bohème, starring Marcella Sembrich. Due to illness among The Met’s principal singers — including Eames and Sembrich — the seven originally scheduled productions turned into eight and covers were engageed for several productions. Puccini would not hear Eames or Sembrich until the two recovered sufficiently. Following a week of convalescence, Sembrich was ready to take the stage. The final production schedule during Puccini’s visit, following cast revisions, is outlined below:
Met Principals III during Puccini’s Visit, 24 Jan 1907. The New York Times (New York, New York) Newspapers.com
January 18: Premiere of Manon Lescaut — American Premiere
(Puccini in attendance. Starring Enrico Caruso and Lina Cavalieri)January 25: Production of Tosca
(Emma Eames replaced by Lina Cavalieri as Tosca due to illness)January 28: Production of Manon Lescaut — Canceled and replaced with La bohème (Canceled due to Caruso illness. Bessie Abbot sings Mimi due to Sembrich illness)
February 4: Production of Tosca
(Puccini in attendance. Emma Eames returns to the title role alongside Caruso and Scotti)February 9: Production of La bohème
(Puccini in attendance. Sembrich returns to role of Mimi alongside Caruso and Scotti)February 11: Production of Madama Butterfly — Metropolitan Opera Premiere
(Starring Geraldine Farrar, Enrico Caruso, Louise Homer, and Antonio Scotti)February 21: Production of Manon Lescaut
(Reschedule of the canceled January 28 performance)
Following her recovery, Sembrich quickly took advantage of Puccini’s presence in New York and met with the composer to discuss her interpretation of Mimi, La bohème’s tragic heroine. While Sembrich was the third soprano at The Met to portray Mimi — the first being Australian soprano Nellie Melba in 1900 — she would leave her mark as one of the definitive interpreters of the role. She had appeared as Mimi since 1902, quickly establishing herself as a public favorite. Puccini made only a few musical adjustments to the tempi of several passages but was otherwise thoroughly impressed with Sembrich’s singing and dramatic interpretation.
On February 9, 1907, Sembrich presented her perfected interpretation to incredible reviews. On stage opposite Sembrich was Enrico Caruso as Rodolfo, also recently recovered. While Puccini contributed to the musical perfection of her portrayal, he was already delighted with her dramatic abilities. Following the performance, Puccini joined the cast on stage and Sembrich presented him with a wreath entwined with ribbons in the national colors of Italy. Shortly after the curtain came down on the production, Sembrich received a letter from Puccini declaring “Voi siete la Mimi!” (You are the Mimi!)
Sembrich as Mimi (1902). Photo by Aimee Dupont. From The Sembrich Collection
Letter to Marcella Sembrich (1907). G. Puccini.
From The Sembrich Collection
Caruso as Rodolfo (ca. 1903). Photo by Herman Mishkin. From The Sembrich Collection
Giacomo Puccini (ca. 1910) Unknown Photographer. From The Sembrich Collection.
In total, Sembrich sang 27 performances as Mimi between 1902 and her retirement in 1909. Undoubtedly Sembrich met Puccini on several occasions throughout the duration of his visit and, in only three years, they would meet again. Upon his arrival in New York, Puccini told the press he was looking for an American drama suitable for adaptation to the operatic stage. The press eagerly speculated as to whether he had found one by the time of his return departure to Italy on February 28, 1907. Indeed, Puccini had identified the ideal source material to bring his new operatic vision to fruition — David Belasco’s 1905 play The Girl of the Golden West.
In 1910, Puccini returned to New York to oversee the premiere of La fanciulla del West, his new opera set in America’s wild west. During his visit, he once again met Madame Sembrich who was now retired from the opera and conquering the concert halls of America as a solo artist. Following their meeting, he presented her a signed photograph for her scrapbook with the note: “To the great artist Marcella Sembrich with admiration and friendship.”
Among the numerous roles in Madame Sembrich’s repertoire, Mimi is one of her most celebrated. Her cloak, seen in the image above, is preserved in The Sembrich Collection and is displayed on a rotating basis. Unfortunately, Sembrich never recorded any of the arias from La bohème while under contract with the Victor Talking Machine Company. In substitution and for your listening pleasure, below is a recording of Anna Moffo singing Mimi’s famous aria “Si… Mi chiamano Mimi.” Moffo studied at the Curtis Institute of Music under Sembrich’s pupil Eufemia Giannini Gregory, achieving international recognition in opera throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
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