Fedora (opera) - Performance History

Performance History

Its first performance was in Milan at the Teatro Lirico Internazionale on November 17, 1898 with Gemma Bellincioni as Fedora, and Enrico Caruso as Loris Ipanov. The opera had great success on its opening night, and was soon brought to the Vienna Staatsoper by Mahler, and then to Paris where it was reportedly admired by both Massenet and Saint-Saëns.

Fedora received its US premiere on December 5, 1906 at the New York Metropolitan Opera, with Caruso as Count Loris, and Lina Cavalieri as Fedora. Fedora received eight performances during the Met's 1906/1907 and 1907/1908 seasons, and was revived in the 1920s when it received 25 more performances between 1923 and 1926. By the mid-20th century, however, operatic tastes had changed, and the opera became more sporadically performed.

The 1990s saw a resurgence of interest in Fedora, with new productions at the Vienna Staatsoper, La Scala, The New York Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Washington National Opera. Notable singers in post-1990 productions include Mirella Freni, Renata Scotto, Agnes Baltsa, Katia Ricciarelli, and Maria Guleghina as Fedora; and Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, and José Cura as Loris. Among Fedora's most recent performances are those at the Vienna Staatsoper in 2003, La Scala in 2004, and London's Holland Park Opera in 2006.