Description

EMMA ALBANI (CHAMBLY, UNITED PROVINCE OF CANADA, 1 NOVEMBER 1847 – KENSINGTON, LONDON, 3 APRIL, 1930)

 

 

 

 

She was born Marie-Louise-Emma-Cécile Lajeunesse and trained under Gilbert Louis Duprez in Paris and Francesco Lamperti in Milan. She made her debut in 1870 at the Opera House of Messina as Amina in La Sonnambula. At London’s Covent Garden, she originated numerous roles, including Philine in Mignon (1874), Elsa in Lohengrin (1875), Elisabeth in Tannhäuser (1876), Senta in Der fliegende Holländer, Tamara in The Demon, Desdemona in Otello (1891), and Brunehild in Sigurd (1884). She was a favorite of Queen Victoria. In 1894-1895, she embarked on a highly successful concert tour through Germany and Switzerland. Following her retirement in 1896, she taught singing in London.

 

Memoirs of Emma Albani: Forty Years of song (London, in 1911).

Macdonald: Emma Albani. Victorian diva (Toronto, in 1985).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1870 Messina Opera House La Sonnambula (Amina)

1872-1896 London Covent Garden La Sonnmabula (Amina)

1872 Paris Italian Opera

1873 Paris Italian Opera

1874 St. Petersburg Court Opera

1874 Moscow Court Opera

1874 New York Academy of Music La Sonnmabula (Amina)

1877 Berlin Opera Lohengrin (Elsa)

1877 Berlin Opera Fliegenden Holländer (Senta)

1878 Paris Italian Opera

1880 Brussels Théâtre de la Monnaie

1880 Milan La Scala Lucia di Lammermoor (Lucia)

1880 Milan La Scala Rigoletto (Gilda)

1881 Berlin Court Opera

1882 Monte Carlo Opera Hamlet (Ofelia)

1882 Monte Carlo Opera Rigoletto (Gilda)

1883 USA Concert Tour

1886 Berlin Court Opera

1888 Copenhagen Concert Tour

1888 Berlin Court Opera

1891 New York Metropolitan Opera Rigoletto (Gilda)

1892 New York Metropolitan Opera

1894-1895 Germany and Switzerland

1898 Canada Concert Tour

1898 Australia Concert Tour

1898 New Zealand Concert Tour

1898 South Africa Concert Tour

1899 South Africa Concert Tour

1904 South Africa Concert Tour

1907 India and Ceylon Concert Tour

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Ave Maria (Gounod) 50331 Pathé cylinders & discs, London 1905/1906
2. Clari (Bishop) Home sweet home 3505 4763b G&T, London 1903-12-29
3. L’été (Chaminade) 50332 Pathé cylinders & discs, London 1905/1906
4. Robin Adair (trad) 3540 4888b G&T, London 1904-01-21
5. Theodora (Händel) Angels ever bright and fair 03014 321c G&T, London 1903-12-29
6. Xerxes (Händel) Ombra mai fù 50330 Pathé cylinders & discs, London 1905/1906
7. Xerxes (Händel) Ombra mai fù 53325 4760b G&T, London 1903-12-29
8. Allegro, il Pensieroso ed il Moderato (Händel) Sweet bird unpubl. G&T, London 1903-12-08
9. Pré aux Clercs (Hérold) Souvenir de jeune âge unpubl. 322c G&T, London 1903-12-29