Blanche Rosavella ~ [official] world première ‘The Pirates of Penzance’.

An 1879 albumen print of Blanche Rosavella as ‘Mabel’ in Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ ~ On 31st Dec 1879 at the Fifth Avenue Theater in New York she created the role of Mabel in the official world première of The Pirates of Penzance. {Although Emilie Petrelli had sung the part literally hours earlier in the single copyright performance at the Royal Bijou Theatre in Paignton, Devon, England on 30th December 1879}

 

Born [as Blanche Roosevelt Tucker] Sandusky, Ohio 2nd Oct 1853 and died London 10th Sept 1898

 

As Mlle. Rosavella she made her singing debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as Violetta in La Traviata during 1876 – sharing the role with Adelina Patti over five performances.

 

In 1879 she joined the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company at Sullivan’s request.

 

She was a personal friend of the poet Longfellow and retired from the stage in the early 1880’s to devote herself to journalism and literature.

 

In 1897 she was involved in an accident [in Monte Carlo] when the carriage in which she was overturned seriously injuring her. She never recovered and died in London the next year at the age of 45.

 

A number of usually reliable sources state that she was killed in the accident which would be rather difficult given where the accident was and where she died – the driver was killed in the accident.

Done