Marie van Zandt
Léo Delibes composed his opera Lakmé for her, and she created the title role for its world premiere in 1883, with Elisa Frandin playing Malika.
Organized opposition at the Opéra-Comique was created at around this time in an attempt to discredit her; among the false accusations[1] that were circulated was one suggesting that she appeared onstage while drunk.
Nevertheless, she assumed a successful career, and the Parisian beau monde praised her, as for example Baron Alphonse de Rothschild who used to reserve loges for his family and friends when she appeared on stage.
Van Zandt made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amina in Vincenzo Bellini's La sonnambula on December 21, 1891, remaining with the company for only one season.
She returned to the Opéra-Comique in 1896 and revived some of her earlier success there, including Lakmé to huge enthusiasm in 1896, and Zerlina and Mignon in 1897.
![Photograph of Marie van Zandt, [ca. 1859–1870]. Carte de Visite Collection, Boston Public Library.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Marie_van_Zandt_-_DPLA_-_ee9434eaa6216a19859173e1bc907cc4_%28page_1%29.jpg/220px-Marie_van_Zandt_-_DPLA_-_ee9434eaa6216a19859173e1bc907cc4_%28page_1%29.jpg)