Maria Duchêne

[1] She portrayed such roles as Amneris in Aida, Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann, Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, Maddalena in Rigoletto.

Duchêne was born in France and arrived in the United States in 1907 at the age of 23, already calling herself an "artiste".

[2] She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 16 March 1912 as La Cieca in Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda with Emmy Destinn in the title role, Enrico Caruso as Enzo, and Arturo Toscanini conducting.

[4] With the company she notably portrayed the role of the Peasant Woman in the United States premiere of Gustave Charpentier's Julien on 26 February 1914.

[6] On 7 October 1926, she married André Dumont (1896–1942), a French harmonium maker at Les Andelys.

Maria Duchêne in 1916
Duchêne arriving in the US in 1907 on the S.S. La Savoie
1912 Metropolitan Opera premiere of Boris Gudonov with Anna Case , Marie Duchène, Adamo Didur as Boris Godunov , and Leonora Sparkes