Marie van Zandt

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Marie van Zandt (October 8, 1861-December 31, 1919) was an American-born soprano.

Born in New York City, van Zandt was the daughter of Jennie van Zandt, who had sung at La Scala and at New York's Academy of Music. She studied in Milan with Francesco Lamperti, making her debut as Zerlina in Don Giovanni in Turin in 1879. Numerous successful appearances followed, including at Covent Garden in 1879, and at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in 1880. Léo Delibes composed his opera Lakmé for her, and she created the title role for its world premiere in 1883. Organized opposition at the Opéra-Comique was created at around this time in an attempt to discredit her; among the rumors which were circulated was one suggesting that she appeared onstage while drunk.

Van Zandt made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amina in Vincenzo Bellini's La sonnambula on December 21, 1891, remaining with the company for only one season. She returned to the Opéra-Comique in 1896 and revived some of her earlier success there; not long after this, she married and went into retirement.

Van Zandt died in Cannes in 1925.

[edit] Reference

• David Ewen, Encyclopedia of the Opera: New Enlarged Edition. New York; Hill and Wang, 1963.