22 Facts About Marcella Sembrich

Prakseda Marcelina Kochanska, known professionally as Marcella Sembrich, was a Polish dramatic coloratura soprano.

Marcella Sembrich is known for her extensive range of two and a half octaves, precise intonation, charm, portamento, vocal fluidity, and impressive coloratura.

Marcella Sembrich's voice was regarded as flute-like, sweet, pure, light, and brilliant.

Marcella Sembrich had an important international singing career, chiefly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and the Royal Opera House, in London.

The young Marcella Sembrich first studied violin and piano with her father, and earned money to support her family and pay for studies by playing for parties of nobility.

Marcella Sembrich arrived in Milan in September 1876 to study with one of the most renowned vocal teachers on the continent, namely Giovanni Battista Lamperti, son of the eminent teacher Francesco Lamperti, with whom she would later study in 1885.

Marcella Sembrich's letters indicate that she could speak English, Polish, German, French, and Italian.

Marcella Sembrich broke her contract at Dresden and sang a number of concerts to raise money to go to London.

Marcella Sembrich had an auspicious audition with the impresario Ernest Gye at Covent Garden and signed a contract there for five seasons.

In 1883, Marcella Sembrich went to the United States to sing in the newly founded Metropolitan Opera company.

Marcella Sembrich made her Met debut as Lucia in the company premiere of Lucia di Lammermoor on October 24,1883.

Marcella Sembrich sang more debut roles than any other singer in the company's history.

Marcella Sembrich was the Met's first Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflote, Elvira in I Puritani, Violetta in La Traviata, Amina in La Sonnambula, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marguerite in Les Huguenots and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

Marcella Sembrich was the first to record on the Mapleson Cylinders backstage at The Met.

For next three decades, Marcella Sembrich traveled across the United States and Europe singing in major cities including Dresden, London, Madrid, Paris, St Petersburg, New York.

Marcella Sembrich was a tremendous favorite at the Italian Opera inform 1890 to 1897.

Marcella Sembrich's students included Alma Gluck, Hulda Lashanska, Queena Mario, Edna de Lima, Dusolina Giannini, Josephine Antoine, Natalie Bodanya, Annamary Dickey, Nancy McCord, Polyna Stoska, Jane Pickens.

Marcella Sembrich turned instead to the Adirondack Mountains area and spent summers at Lake Placid from 1915 to 1921, and then at a home on Lake George from 1922 to 1934.

Marcella Sembrich died on January 11,1935, at her home, 151 Central Park West in Manhattan, New York City.

Marcella Sembrich's 1883 Met debut elicited praise from all who heard her.

Marcella Sembrich's Lucia is a marvel of voice, execution and magnetism.

James Camner, in his review of the album in Opera News, notes that Marcella Sembrich was "past her prime" when recording technology came to popularity, but she was still one of the first of her time to produce full-length albums.