Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum
4800 Lake Shore Dr., Bolton Landing. 518-644-9839. June 15-Sept 15, daily, 10am-12:30pm, 2-5:30pm. Admission Fee. www.operamuseum.com In 1877 Mme. Sembrich made her operatic debut in Athens at the age of 19 and quickly became one of the world's greatest opera singers. She was Europe's premier soprano during most of her early career, spending one year at the Metropolitan Opera in 1883 during its first season. Rejoining the Met in 1898, she stayed for a decade, retiring in 1909. She founded the vocal departments at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute, and was for 25 years pre-eminent among teachers of singing in America. Her summer home and teaching studio on the shore of Lake George was turned into a museum following her death in 1935. The personal collection of operatic memorabilia—portraits and prints, opera posters and vintage photographs, lavish costumes and accessories, music and correspondence from composers and admirers—is beautifully displayed in the pink stucco cottage on the water's edge where she taught gifted students from 1921 to 1935. Special Events: summer lecture series, voice and piano recitals.
