Emmy Destinn

Destinn as Coi Coi San "Madama Butterfly" Puccini

Emmy Destinn
(Emílie Pavlína Věnceslava Kittlová)
1878-1930
Czech Soprano

Her voice teacher since age thirteen had been Marie Maria von Dreger Loewe-Destinn, and the young singer began using her teacher's surname as a tribute.
Debut 19 July 1898 at the Berlin Court Opera as Santuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana" .London debut at Covent Garden's Royal Opera House on 2 May 1904, as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She appeared there in several operas for the next two seasons, including the London premiere of Madama Butterfly with Caruso. Her Metropolitan Opera debut came in 1908 with an acclaimed performance of Aida, she created the role of Minnie in the premiere of Puccini's La fanciulla del West, again opposite Caruso, While she was highly successful in the lighter roles of Wagner's operas, her voice,excelled in the French part of Carmen, in which she was said to rival Calvé, and in the Italian roles of Aida, Madama Butterfly and Leonora (in Il trovatore).