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The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes
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Marie Van Cauteren
, French soprano from Metz in
Alsace-Lorraine who grew up in Kentucky, studied at the Paris Conservatory and
made her debut in Toulouse as the Queen in Huguenots.
Her American debut was in May 1892 in Philadelphia, where she sang such leading
roles as Violetta, Santuzza, Marguerite, and Dinorah. [Begin Page 19]
She appeared
first at the Metropolitan Opera as Mercedes in Carmen
on November 26, 1894, a performance that featured Zélie De Lussan in the
title role, Melba as Micaela, and Edouard De Reszke as Escamillo. Aside from
two performances as Elvira in Don Giovanni and a
substitution as Urbain, she was heard at the Met only in secondary roles.
During 1902-03, the last of her seven seasons with the company, she sang
Flora in Traviata, Mercedes, Countess Ceprano in
Rigoletto, a Maid of Honor in Huguenots, the Marquise in Fille du Régiment,
Gerhilde in Walküre, a Genie in
The Magic Flute, and Elvira on tour in Pittsburgh. She
was paid $50 per week, or $1,107.15 for 22 weeks and one day. She
sang thirty-six times. Marie Van Cauteren, who was married to Ludovico Viviani,
later taught in New York, and secured a testimonial from a famous colleague,
Pol Plançon. FILLE DU RÉGIMENT (Marquise): Side 4/Band 4
WALKÜRE (Gerhilde): Side 10/Bands 5-8
