On this day in 1921, Geraldine Farrar performed the title role in Leoncavallo’s Zazà at the Met. In this, Farrar’s final season at the Met, she sang a total 48 performances, including the title roles of La Navarraise, Carmen, Louise, Madama Butterfly, Manon and Tosca as well as Marguerite in Faust.

Musical America:

The season’s first presentation of Leoncavallo’s “Zaza” with Geraldine Farrar, of course, in her vivid and daring picturization of the title role, Martinelli as Dufresne, and De Luca as Cascart, began the week at the Metropolitan. The production had its familiar realism to commend it, and its much-maligned music in several instances succeeded in distracting attention from the play. Mme. Farrar’s singing, though guarded, disclosed again a newly-found freedom and smoothness. Mr. Martinelli, as a rather leonine hero, utilized his excellent endowments without stint. His air at the [start] of the third act brought him an ovation. Mr. De Luca’s vocalism was suave, and his impersonation of Cascart had the ring of sincerity. . . . There was also the reliable little Miss Quintina, who seems well on the way to becoming a “diseuse,” as Toto.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SSvg6PrIhA